ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Aggregates Levy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much of the aggregates levy sustainability fund has been spent in relation to (a) the freight facility grant and (b) the transport action clean up programme; what percentages of the fund these payments represent; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will list the projects (a) approved, (b) rejected and (c) awaiting a decision for funding under the aggregates levy sustainability fund for the stated purpose of (i) supporting cleaner and quieter aggregates lorry transport and (ii) encouraging the use of rail and water transport; what funding has been allocated; when each application was made; and when each decision was made.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 27 March 2003
	None of the aggregates levy sustainability fund has been spent so far on promoting environmentally friendly aggregates transportation. The Department for Transport, which is the distributing body for the freight facilities grant and the transport action clean-up programme, is considering their compatibility with state aid provisions. Around £1 million of the 2002–03 allocation for these schemes has therefore been diverted to funding for reducing the local effects of aggregates extraction.

Agricultural Regulations

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many regulations relating to agriculture were extant (a) in 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: This information is not available in the form requested as it would involve looking at all legislation, both EC and UK, introduced by different Government Departments to consider whether it related to agriculture. Such information could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.

Local Environmental Problems

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will include railway property in future reviews of (a) public litter problems and (b) the effects of degraded environment.

Alun Michael: Railway property is included in our current review of litter and local environmental problems. Defra's consultation document Living Places—Powers, Rights, Responsibilities, described several options for reforming the legislative framework relating to the local environmental management of private land, including railway property.
	We are currently evaluating responses to that consultation exercise, which closed on 14 February, and will then consider how to take matters forward.
	My officials are meeting representatives of Network Rail to discuss their response in more detail.
	Last year, in conjunction with Defra, ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns) carried out a detailed survey of the state of England called the Local Environmental Quality Survey of England (LEQSE). The survey included elements of a range of land uses including transport facilities. ENCAMS are now building on the LEQSE to carry out a similar survey at district level, by local authority. This potentially would allow both the Government and local authorities to identify elements that require further investigation or remedy.

Fur Farming

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what measures she proposes to take as a result of the Court of Appeal's recent ruling regarding compensation for fur farmers; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will ensure that the compensation scheme for fur farmers includes (a) a higher standard payment for female mink than was offered in the original scheme, (b) recognition of the higher value of specialist breeds, (c) compensation for male animals and (d) a specified date for the cessation of fur farming after the end of the consultation period in 2001.

Elliot Morley: On Thursday 13 March 2003 the High Court gave judgment quashing the Fur Farming (Compensation Scheme) (England) Order 2002.
	Application has been made to appeal to the Court of Appeal. If permission to appeal is not granted or the decision of the High court is upheld on appeal the Government will consult interested parties to implement a compensation scheme under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000.
	There was no suggestion from the ruling that the overall level of compensation was inadequate.

Fur Farming

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she intends to take as a result of the judicial review into the Government's fur farming compensation scheme; how the Government will ensure that it complies with (a) common law and (b) the European Convention on Human Rights; and if she will make a statement on the judgement.

Elliot Morley: Application has been made to appeal to the Court of Appeal. If permission to appeal is not granted or the decision of the High Court is upheld on appeal the Government will consult interested parties to implement a compensation scheme under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000.

IACS

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers registered for the purpose of IACS there were in 1997; and what the current corresponding figure is.

Alun Michael: The number of farmers registered for the purpose of IACS for England and Wales is as follows:
	
		
			  England Wales 
		
		
			 1997 77,829 19,300 
			 Current corresponding figure (2002) 69,535 16,800

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many of the stakeholders she consulted over changes to the landfill tax credit scheme recommended (a) no changes, (b) minimal changes, (c) major changes and (d) abandonment of the scheme;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy to ensure that stakeholder opinions are taken into account when deciding upon the successor to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

Michael Meacher: The joint Treasury/Defra consultation on the future of the Landfill Tax Credit scheme went to 3,468 individuals or organisations and generated 683 responses. Of these 550 (82 per cent.) opted for keeping the Scheme as it is or with minor modifications, 59 (9 per cent.) opted for a major change and 58 (9 per cent.) did not comment. A clear majority (65 per cent.) were in favour of increased funding for sustainable waste management projects.
	A consistent message also arising from the consultation was the need for a more strategic approach to funding sustainable waste management objectives. The Government fully endorse this view and will set out how they aim to achieve this in their response to the Strategy Unit Report 'Waste Not, Want Not' which will be published shortly. The Government will take into account the opinions of stakeholders in deciding on the new public expenditure programme.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much money she estimates will be lost from the sustainable waste sector as a result of funding formerly distributed through categories C and CC of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme being distributed by a public body and losing the capacity to be used to draw further funds from private sources;
	(2)  what figure she uses to estimate the leverage or gearing ratio between landfill tax credit scheme funding and further funding secured from other sources against it.

Michael Meacher: The evidence available suggests that the vast majority of levered in funds have been directed at projects in category A—land reclamation, category D—public parks and amenities and category E—building restoration. A survey carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University involving 1,053 Environmental Bodies (with a 40 per cent. response rate) indicates that over the period 1997–2002, waste management projects (categories C and CC) levered in 34 per cent. of LTCS expenditure from other sources.
	The Government believes that a public expenditure programme can work well with private sources (e.g. retailers or equipment manufacturers) to achieve a similar or better increase in total resources. Moreover local authorities can benefit from a public expenditure programme. Government will also be better able to direct how and where funds are spent through the public expenditure programme to ensure they are focused on areas which will contribute towards achieving our overall aims on sustainable waste management identified in the Strategy Unit Report "Waste Not, Want Not".

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she will take to guarantee transparency in a successor to the landfill tax credit scheme.

Michael Meacher: Details of the nature of the new public expenditure programme which will replace some parts of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme will be made alongside the government's official response to the Strategy Unit report, which is planned for around the time of the budget.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations she has held to ascertain the (a) nature and (b) scale of (i) the transitional rump fund and (ii) the successor scheme to replace the landfill tax credit scheme.

Michael Meacher: Because the transitional rump fund is a short-term measure and had to be put into place very quickly there was no formal consultation. However, discussions with interested parties did take place and their views have been taken into consideration. As indicated in the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report, the proposals in the Strategy Unit report "Waste Not, Want Not" have formed the basis of the consultation for the public expenditure scheme. A large number of stakeholders were involved in the production of that report and, since its publication, we have received a number of written comments.

National Air Quality Strategy

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement about how the National Air Quality Strategy will be applied to coal fired power stations.

Alun Michael: The Government's policies and measures for reducing air pollution from industry, transport and other sources are set out in the 'Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland', published in January 2000 and the Addendum to the Strategy, published in February 2003. The Strategy contains ambient air quality standards for nine key pollutants and the dates between 2003 and 2010 by which they should be met. The Environment Agency is responsible for the regulation of larger power stations and other major industrial processes in England and Wales. The Environment Act 1995 requires that the Agency takes account of the requirements of the Air Quality Strategy in discharging its pollution control functions.
	The larger coal fired power stations are currently regulated by the Environment Agency through the Integrated Pollution Control ("IPC") regime. IPC was established by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and regulates industrial pollution through a system of authorisation. IPC is being superseded by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control ("IPPC") regime, which implements an EC directive of the same name. Power stations that came into operation before 31 October 1999 will be regulated by IPPC from 2006. New installations or those undergoing substantial change are required to apply for an IPPC permit with immediate effect.
	Sulphur dioxide from power stations is controlled by system emission limits that restrict the amount that can be discharged in any given year. Limits are set for individual sites and for companies operating several sites to take account of the potential for local air pollution and long-range pollution. In order that the combined impact of adjacent power stations and other sources will not lead to a breach of the objective, operators are required to develop a local air quality management and monitoring plan which will ensure adherence with the Air Quality Strategy by 2005.

National Emissions Reduction Scheme

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her proposals for the National Emissions Reduction scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: I assume that this question refers to implementation options under the revised Large Combustion Plant Directive (2001/80/EC) for plants that were in existence in 1987. We are currently considering whether to implement the revised Directive for these plants by the emission limits approach or by adopting a National Emissions Reduction scheme and will issue a consultation paper in due course. Measures under the Directive would apply to these plants from 2008.

Pollution (Buckinghamshire)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many successful prosecutions have been undertaken since 6 February 2002 by the Environment Agency concerning pollution in Buckinghamshire.

Michael Meacher: The Buckinghamshire constituency is covered by two of the Environment Agency's regions—Thames and Anglian.
	There were five prosecutions successfully concluded during the period. These comprised two cases involving fly-tipping, two cases involving breaches of the producer responsibility regulations—designed to encourage the recycling of waste packaging—and one case involving water pollution.

Refrigerators

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding her Department has allocated to (a) Buckinghamshire county council and (b) Aylesbury Vale district council to assist with the costs of storing and processing refrigerators and freezers; and what plans she has to make further funds available.

Michael Meacher: (a) Buckinghamshire County Council received £312,480 from Special Grant Report 109 to assist with the costs of storing and processing refrigerators and freezers in 2002–03. This was in addition to an allocation from the £6 million provided to waste disposal authorities in England for 1 January to 31 March 2002. Spending Review 2002 included future funding within the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block which will be distributed through Formula Standard Shares (FSAs).
	(b) Aylesbury Vale district council received no additional support as funds have been allocated to waste disposal authorities only.

Rural Businesses

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total subsidies awarded to (a) farms and (b) non-farming rural businesses were in each of the last five years.

Alun Michael: It is not possible to differentiate subsidy payments between farms and non-farming rural business. The total direct aid payments made under the Common Agricultural Policy in England in each of the last five years were:
	
		Direct Aid Payments
		
			  (£ billion) 
		
		
			 1998 1.68 
			 1999 1.61 
			 2000 1.65 
			 2001 1.69 
			 2002 1.34 
		
	
	The year in question relates to the EU financial year, which ends in October. The subsidies are payments made under the Guarantee section of theEuropean Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.
	Direct aid payments include internal market schemes covering principally fresh fruit and vegetables and milk and milk products.

Tyre Recycling

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for increasing the proportion of tyres recycled using carbon neutral methods.

Michael Meacher: Government have supported research and development into a wide variety of projects looking to reuse and recycle tyres.
	Current projects include the use of tyres in coastal and river engineering schemes, improving the economics of granulating tyres by reducing the rubber contamination of the processed steel which should enable this steel to be beneficially used, the processing of tyres into fine rubber crumb by the use of ultra high pressure water, and research looking at the use of rubber crumb in asphalt mixes. There is also a study, developed in collaboration with the Institute of Civil Engineers, and supported by landfill tax credits monies, setting out the many potential civil engineering uses for tyres.

Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Alun Michael: In the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its agencies, 353 staff have received paid leave to undertake union duties during the financial year 2002–03. The cost to public funds for this period is not yet available.
	Up to 25 days was available to each union representative to undertake trade union activities although the average claimed was less.
	For information, 378 staff received paid leave to undertake union duties during the financial year 2001–02. The cost to public funds was £540,507.
	In the time available and given the number of NDPBs for which Defra is responsible, it is not possible to confirm the position for all NDPBs at reasonable cost.

Waste Management

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to set up a strategic waste forum to ensure co-ordination between (a) Government Departments, (b) local authorities, (c) the waste management industry and (d) the environmental sector.

Michael Meacher: The Government are keen to improve co-ordination with their partners and stakeholders. The Strategy Unit Report, 'Waste Not, Want Not' included recommendations aiming to improve co-ordination between Government, local authorities, and industry, for example to establish an industry forum, and to set up a multi-disciplinary task force to help and provide advice to local authorities.
	We have been considering our response to the Report, and plan to publish this shortly.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's policy is on the possibility of NATO taking over operations of the ISAF in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We fully support the decision by Germany and the Netherlands to benefit from NATO assistance in their leadership of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). We are examining with our NATO partners what scope there may be for the Alliance to widen its involvement with the ISAF.

Anti-personnel Mines

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the potential use of anti-personnel mines in a conflict with Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: The United Kingdom, as a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, does not possess operational anti-personnel mines and will not use any in Iraq.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Lewis Moonie: With the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting, this information is no longer held centrally in the form requested. Expenditure on commercial and HMSO publications, including newspapers and periodicals, is now reported as one of a number of general administration costs and could only be separated out for financial year 2002–03 at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Grants

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the grants funded by his Department for which individual members of the public and organisations may apply; and if he will make a statement as to (a) the total of such funding in the last financial year, (b) the total number of awards and (c) their administrative costs.

Lewis Moonie: There are no funds available through grants from the Ministry of Defence which individual members of the public or organisations may apply for. Such funding that is available relates mostly to professionally provided welfare, health and social services by charitable organisations such as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association—Forces Help, who provide services at the specific request of the Ministry of Defence. Other organisations which received similar funding in the last financial year included the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and Relate. In financial year 2000–2001 the Ministry of Defence provided almost 18 million in grant funding to such organisations.

Departmental Running Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

Lewis Moonie: The costs of running Ministers' private offices in financial year 2001–02 were as follows:
	
		£ Million
		
			 Total (Including staff costs) Staff costs 
		
		
			 2.2 2.1 
		
	
	The net operating cost of the department as a whole, as reported in the 2001–02 Departmental Resource Account, was £32,239 million. This figure is on a resource basis and includes military and civilian personnel costs; property management and equipment support costs; stock consumption; depreciation, impairment of fixed assets and cost of capital charges. Figures for 2002–03 are not yet available but will be published in the forthcoming Departmental Resource Accounts.

EUFOR

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many interpreters are serving with the EUFOR in Macedonia.

Adam Ingram: The EU headquarters in Skopje for Operation Concordia has a complement of 12 locally-employed interpreters who will provide Macedonian and/or Albanian language skills.

Friendly Fire

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral answer of 26 March 2003, Official Report, column 300, what steps he is taking to ensure that procedures to prevent friendly fire incidents work effectively in high intensity warfare.

Geoff Hoon: Our Combat Identification capability is designed to operate at all levels of warfare including high intensity operations. The specific measures we have taken to make our forces comparable to and compatible with those of the United States in Iraq assumed we would be participating in high intensity warfare. We will continue to pursue vigorously the programme of work described to the Public Accounts Committee last year, and learn the lessons from incidents of fratricide in current operations. However, no Combat Identification system is infallible and the possibility of fratricide cannot be entirely eliminated.

Iraq

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made to enable members of the public to send support parcels to troops in the Gulf.

Adam Ingram: Airmail packets up to 2kg in weight may be sent to named individuals at a subsidised rate equivalent to Royal Mail first class inland postage charges. Due to capacity constraints, there are no parcel services available. I refer the hon. Member also to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).
	We encourage members of the public who wish to show their support to make use of the internet Bulletin Board at the BFPO website www.bfpo.org.uk or to make contributions to the UK Forces Gulf Fund.

Iraq

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate has been made of the number of troops required to deliver humanitarian relief in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: We have made very clear our commitment to the welfare and future of the people of Iraq, and United Kingdom forces will continue to deliver humanitarian relief to the full extent of their capability where it is needed and it is safe for them to do so. This is not, however, the primary role of our forces, which are structured for warfighting. As soon as the security situation stabilises enough for civilian aid agencies to deploy fully, we will hand responsibility for humanitarian assistance over to them.

Iraq

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to enable people in the UK to send parcels to service personnel serving in the Gulf free of charge once the situation becomes more stable.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Iraqi PoWs are under the jurisdiction of British forces.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 April 2003, Official Report, column 782W, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman).

Iraq

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the extra money announced for the prosecution of war in Iraq will be allocated to (a) mental health services and (b) counselling services for returning servicemen and women.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence does not maintain financial records to this level of detail. Therefore, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, where such a need is identified and additional funding is necessary, it will be provided.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many coalition services personnel have been injured in operations in Iraq, broken down by country; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: As at 3 April, we had sustained 39 United Kingdom battle casualties.
	Injuries sustained by other members of the coalition are a matter for them to comment on.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the status of (a) military and (b) civilian personnel captured by UK forces in the Gulf; and whether they will all enjoy the protection of the Geneva Convention.

Adam Ingram: Any individuals captured or detained by United Kingdom forces in the Gulf will be afforded the appropriate status and enjoy the protection afforded by the Geneva Convention.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the daily handling capacity of each of the ports in southern Iraq is; what the estimated daily required (a) military supplies and (b) humanitarian supplies are; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are six ports in southern Iraq. We are currently conducting an assessment of the facilities at one of these, Umm Qasr. Until this assessment is complete, we will not be able to determine its handling capacity. Reliable information on the handling capacity of the other ports in Iraq is not available.
	The requirement for military supplies varies according to the needs of the operation and supplies are provided in accordance with those needs. We have no immediate plans to deliver military supplies through Umm Qasr.
	While combat operations in southern Iraq continue, it will be very difficult to carry out a full assessment of the requirement for humanitarian aid. However, initial assessments suggest a requirement for water, medical supplies and, potentially, food.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of NATO in post-conflict operations in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: The issue of whether and how NATO may play a role in post-conflict Iraq will need to be considered carefully and in the light of developments in the region and at the United Nations.
	We welcome the positive dialogue on Iraq started at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Brussels on 3 April 2003, but would emphasise that no decisions have yet been taken. It is expected that NATO will take the discussions forward over the next few weeks.

Iraq

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the order of battle for the Iraq theatre of war.

Adam Ingram: The Order of Battle for the Iraq theatre of operations comprises elements of all three Services, including reserves. On 3 April 2003, around 45,000 personnel were deployed in support of the operation. The maritime force consisted of around one-third of the combined vessels of the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The amphibious package comprised Headquarters three Commando Brigade, 40 Commando Royal Marines and 42 Commando Royal Marines with supporting elements. The land force comprised Head Quarters 1(UK) Armoured Division, with support from 7 Armoured Brigade, 16 Air Assault Brigade and 102 Logistics Brigade. And the air package comprised a fixed wing force of around 100 aircraft and a rotary wing force from the Joint Helicopter Command of 77 helicopters.
	I will place a full Order of Battle in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) British military personnel and (b) US military personnel have lost their lives in friendly fire incidents in Iraq; and how many of these personnel were killed involving friendly fire from (i) British personnel and (ii) US personnel.

Adam Ingram: We cannot confirm numbers of dead until formal identification has taken place. As at 3 April, we believe we have sustained 28 United Kingdom deaths (including battle, accidental and natural causes) since operations began in Iraq. Until investigations are complete we are not able to comment on whether they are the result of friendly fire.
	Injuries sustained by other coalition members are a matter for them to comment on.

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the hazard posed by unexploded cluster munitions to the reconstruction of Iraq following military action there.

Adam Ingram: At this stage of the conflict in Iraq it is not feasible to make an accurate assessment of the effects of the use of cluster bombs.
	Unexploded cluster bombs, and indeed all unexploded ordnance, are a matter of humanitarian concern. As such, we are committed to working towards the clearance of explosive remnants of war as part of the reconstruction of Iraq.

Military Activities (Animals)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cetaceans, broken down by species, have been used by the Navy in each of the last 10 years; if he will list the activities carried out by such species; how many cetaceans have been killed while in the service of British forces as a result of military activity in each of the last 10 years; and if he will list the causes of death.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has no programme utilising cetaceans to undertake any military activity.

Operation Fresco

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the recent announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister that troops taking part in Operation Fresco have been stood down, whether these troops are available for alternative deployment overseas.

Adam Ingram: The announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made clear that Armed Forces personnel assigned to Operation Fresco were being stood down only until 15 April, at which point they would be held at five days' notice to move. Consequently, they are not available for operations overseas as they continue to be committed to providing essential fire and rescue cover, should there be another strike.
	The Ministry of Defence does, however, keep the operation under constant review to ensure that emergency fire cover is provided effectively and with the minimum impact on the Armed Forces. Based on the experience of the last 15 days of strike action, it has been agreed with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA), the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and HM Fire Service Inspectorate (HMFSI) that a reduction in the number of Armed Forces personnel committed to Operation Fresco from some 19,000 to around 16,000 can now be made. This reduction is made possible by revising shift patterns, reducing manning levels on fire appliances and amalgamating a number of Joint Operational Control Centres.
	There will be no reduction in the effectiveness of the emergency cover arrangements or the total number of vehicles as a result of these changes. Nor will there be any increased risk to the public or the servicemen involved.
	Armed Forces personnel released by these measures will be able to undertake normal military training and other duties. The largest group will be the personnel who make up 20 Armoured Brigade who will deploy to the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Canada to conduct normal high readiness training.

Royal Navy

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial resources are allocated to the Royal Navy to patrol the waters between Haiti and Turks and Caicos.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy undertake a regular deployment to the Caribbean under the auspices of the Atlantic Patrol Task (North). The primary task for APT(N) is to provide a tangible United Kingdom presence in the Caribbean region to support our overseas territories and UK interests in the region while also being available to assist in the provision of Emergency Disaster Relief during the hurricane season. APT(N) also undertakes a range of additional tasks including Defence Diplomacy and Counter Drugs operations. These tasks may, from time to time, provide a Royal Navy presence in waters between Haiti and Turks and Caicos. No specific funds are however allocated to that task.

Royal Navy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether possible ship losses are taken into account in his Department's policy on the requirement for Royal Navy warship and submarine numbers.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence's policy on the requirement for Royal Navy warships and submarines is based on a number of factors including the planned level of availability. This does not, however, include assumptions about potential complete losses.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Refrigeration

Jane Griffiths: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what coolant is used in the new House of Commons chillery.

Archy Kirkwood: The coolant used in the new chillers is HFC 134a. This is a hydrofluorocarbon gas, which has zero Ozone Depletion Potential and low Global Warming Potential, unlike chlorofluorocarbons or hydrochlorofluorocarbons.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

ARBRE

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the latest situation regarding the future of ARBRE.

Brian Wilson: Officials are in discussion with the Liquidator, who is speaking further with the preferred bidder. An announcement on the outcome of these discussions is expected soon.
	The Government will work with the successful bidder to build on the early successes of ARBRE and ensure the long-term future of the project. The Government will consider proposals to reduce the technical risk of taking the project through to commercial operation.
	Many lessons have already been learnt as a result of ARBRE that can be applied to future high efficiency biomass plant, which are likely to be required if dedicated biomass plant are to be available in the medium term.

Arms Exports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate she has made of the cost of (a) establishing and (b) administering an end-use arms control system.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government do carry out end-use monitoring. This includes pre-licensing checks where information is obtained from a wide range of sources. Desk Officers have standing instructions to advise overseas posts of any approved arms licence that it is felt should be monitored post-export. Overseas posts have standing instructions to inform the UK of any suspected mis-use, or diversion, of UK arms exports. The Government are committed to carrying out post-export monitoring where this will genuinely add value to our efforts to minimise the risk of misuse and diversion.
	It is not possible to establish the cost of administering the system. A large proportion of end-use monitoring does not uncover mis-use, or diversion, of an export and the monitoring activity is therefore not recorded. In addition there are a high number of officials involved in the process, but they also have other responsibilities.

Arms Exports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimates her Department has made of the number of deals concluded each year in military and paramilitary equipment by UK nationals outside the UK; which countries were party to these deals; and in which countries these deals were completed.

Nigel Griffiths: None. We are consulting on the proposed secondary legislation to be made under the Export Control Act 2002. A copy of the consultation document is available from the Libraries of the House.

Arms Exports

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arms export licences have been approved for the sale of weapons to Ethiopia in the last year.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 31 March 2003
	Between 17 March 2002 and 17 March 2003, no Standard Individual Export Licence and one temporary Open Individual Export Licence had been issued, for the proposed export of items on the Military List to Ethiopia.

Business Assistance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individuals and businesses have been assisted in Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Alan Johnson: Business Link, the national business advice service provided by the Small Business Service an agency of the Department for Trade and Industry, has assisted the following number of established small and medium enterprises (sole traders or businesses with up to 250 employees) within the Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas:
	(a) 2001–02: 7,077;
	(b) 2002–03: 10,000 (estimate as final numbers for Q4 still being collated).
	In addition, they have provided services to the following number of individuals and pre-starts:
	(a) 2001–02: 2,300;
	(b) 2002–03: 3,200 (estimate as final numbers for Q4 still being collated).

Credit Agencies

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the licensed money credit agencies in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Consumer Credit Act licensing provisions cover a number of credit activities in addition to lending, for example, credit brokerage and debt collection.
	The number of traders in possession of a current licence to lend money under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is 102,476. The total number of current licences is approximately 215,000. (Traders can hold more than one category of licence). Since 1996, traders have been permitted to apply for a licence covering all the six categories licensable activity and, therefore, the figure I have just given will include traders who, although licensed to do so, do not actually lend money. In addition, the Consumer Credit Act licensing provisions do not apply to traders who only lend amounts in excess of £25,000.

Employment Rights Consultation

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2003, Official Report, column 341W, to the hon. Member for Bolton, South-East, by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she intends to publish the results of the consultation on employment rights in relation to statutory employment rights, particularly as it affects the right of registration officers to be heard at industrial tribunals when they are unfairly dismissed.

Alan Johnson: The responses to the consultation on employment status in relation to statutory employment rights are being analysed. The DTI plans to publish its response later this year. This will outline any proposed changes, which would be subject to further consultation.

Entertainment Costs

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Patricia Hewitt: There have been no occasions when Labour hon. Members have been entertained at public expense in my Department.

Export Licences (India)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria she uses to establish whether replacement component parts for nuclear power stations in India are capable of being diverted to military use; and whether these criteria changed between January 2001 and January 2003.

Nigel Griffiths: All export licence applications for India are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, and in the light of the statement made by my hon. Friend, the Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw) the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on 15 March 2002, Official Report, columns 1296–98W. The consolidated criteria include a specific reference to the existence of a risk that the equipment will be diverted within the buyer country or re-exported under undesirable conditions.
	As part of the rigorous assessment process, specialist advisers in relevant advisory Departments consider all reliable information available at the time an application is submitted, to determine the risk of the items being used or diverted in contravention of the consolidated criteria.

Nuclear Decommissioning

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the adequacy of resources held by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to carry out its additional responsibilities required by the decommissioning programme planned for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; and what discussions she has had with the Chief Nuclear Inspector on this matter.

Brian Wilson: Resourcing of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is a matter for the Health and Safety Commission and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. I understand the Health and Safety Executive is currently considering its resource requirements in the light of proposals for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions with the Health and Safety Executive's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations on this matter.

Nuclear Decommissioning

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which institution will hold the site licence for (a) the Sellafield MOX plant and (b) THORP, when their ownership is transferred to the new Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Brian Wilson: As the White Paper on Managing the Nuclear Legacy (Cm5552) explained, for regulatory and operational reasons Sellafield will remain a single licensed site. As and when the NBA is established, I would expect the licence to remain with BNFL plc.

Nuclear Decommissioning

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the policy commitment to transparency in the White Paper on the proposed nuclear liabilities management arrangements will apply to the publication of future contracts negotiated for (a) THORP and (b) the Sellafield Mox plant, once their operation is transferred to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Brian Wilson: The basis on which the commitment to an open and transparent NBA should be implemented is one of the issues on which we will be seeking views from stakeholders prior to the NDA being established. The starting point is that information should be published unless there are good reasons for not doing so. It will be for the NDA to make those judgements and justify them as and when necessary.

Nuclear Waste Liabilities

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost to store Britain's nuclear waste in sites around the country was in the last year for which figures are available.

Brian Wilson: Figures are not readily available in all cases but I understand the cost to store the UK's public sector nuclear waste to be of the order of £128 million last year. For some sites the capital cost of new stores and waste processing has been included.

Post Offices

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there are in each parliamentary constituency; and how many of them transact more than 40 per cent. of their work from paying benefits and pensions.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 9 January 2003, Official Report, column 299W.

Post Offices

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices there were in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each region in March (A) 1999, (B) 2000, (C) 2001 and (D) 2002.

Stephen Timms: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that the total numbers of post offices in the United Kingdom and each region/country is only available from
	March 2000 and are as follows:
	
		
			 Region/Country March 2000 March 2001 March 2002 
		
		
			 North East 739 736 726 
			 NorthWest 1,882 1,853 1,848 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 1,583 1,530 1,509 
			 West Midlands 1,479 1,438 1,414 
			 SouthWest 1,926 1,880 1,847 
			 South East 2,267 2,189 2,153 
			 London 1,233 1,225 1,209 
			 East of England 1,706 1,632 1,611 
			 East Midlands 1,477 1,420 1,382 
			 Northern Ireland 632 611 605 
			 Scotland 1,999 1,933 1,907 
			 Wales 1,470 1,399 1,373 
			 UK Total 18,393 17,846 17,584

Utility Disconnections

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households (a) in England and Wales and (b) in the Buckinghamshire constituency have been disconnected by (i) water companies, (ii) electricity companies and (iii) telecommunications companies in each year since 1999.

Brian Wilson: The number of disconnections by electricity companies in England and Wales was:
	
		
			  For debt For theft Total 
		
		
			 1999 373 3,219 3,592 
			 2000 300 3,004 3,334 
			 2001 375 1,959 2,334 
			 2002 995 2,494 3,489 
		
	
	Note:
	Disconnection data for telecommunications operators other than BT are not available, nor are the data available by regions.
	The total number of BT residential disconnections in the United Kingdom were:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 1,000,161 
			 2000 1,060,993 
			 2001 1,068,416 
			 2002 1,034,390 
		
	
	The net disconnections were:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 645,941 
			 2000 705,738 
			 2001 718,509 
			 2002 571,112 
		
	
	Note:
	Some households were disconnected more than once in a year.
	Information on disconnections on a constituency basis is not available.
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility for the water industry. I understand that under the Water Industry Act 1999, water companies do not have the power to disconnect various categories of premises, including private dwellings.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Parliamentary Questions

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Solicitor General when she will reply to the Question from the hon. Member for Cynon Valley of 24 February on a meeting on the prosecution of leading members of the Iraqi regime.

Harriet Harman: The Attorney General is happy to meet the hon. Member as he always said he was. A meeting was arranged but had to be cancelled and a new one will now be fixed.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Lord Chancellor's Apartments

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much public money has been spent on the acquisition of artefacts for the Lord Chancellor's apartments in each year from 1997 to date.

Rosie Winterton: Since 1997 to date, £105,317 has been spent on the acquisition of artefacts for the Lord Chancellor's apartments. These include a dining table, eight mirrors, three beds, and a Pugin designed crockery set. This money was spent as part of the refurbishment of the apartments in 1997/98 and forms part of the overall cost of the refurbishment, namely part of £580,000, not £650,000 as often erroneously stated. No public money has been spent on the Lord Chancellor's apartments since this time.
	I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to question no. 96416 for further information.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff were employed by her Department in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 4 April 2003, Official Report, column 891W.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

National Audit Office

Andrew Selous: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission what plans he has to increase the budget of the National Audit Office to enable it to examine off-balance sheet Government accounting.

Alan Williams: The National Audit Office already examines whether financing arrangements and related assets should be on or off-balance sheet where the private sector provides assets or services to Government bodies. The National Audit Office does this as part of its annual audit of accounts. Any cost implications of this work will be reflected in the annual corporate plan submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General in the summer, which the Commission will consider before the Summer Recess.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Rights of Way

David Taylor: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement on the implications of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 for church-owned land in England.

Stuart Bell: There have been four applications brought under this Act in connection with land owned by the Church Commissioners. Two of which they have objected to, and two of which they have conceded.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Lottery Funding

Si�n Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to introduce a distribution of National Lottery funding aimed at tackling social exclusion and regenerating deprived communities.

Richard Caborn: Since the introduction of the 1998 Lottery Act and changes to policy directions, distributors have increasingly focussed on areas of social and economic deprivation. Fair Share is one such initiative designed to target funding at those deprived areas which have benefited least from the Lottery.

Press Complaints Commission

Clive Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met the Press Complaints Commission to discuss its work.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met the Press Complaints Commission recently, but she will be meeting Sir Christopher Meyer, the new chairman, on 7 April.

Press Complaints Commission

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what powers OFCOM will have over the Press Complaints Commission.

Tessa Jowell: None. The Press Complaints Commission is an independent body overseeing the self-regulation of the newspaper industry. We continue to believe that self-regulation is preferable to any statutory measures.

Cricket (Disabled People)

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's support for cricket for people with disabilities.

Richard Caborn: The Government funds sport for people with disabilities through the English Federation for Disability Sport (EFDS), which will receive 2 million from Sport England over the next year. The EFDS is presently considering whether to add cricket to its list of priority sports.

Children's Play Facilities

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what neighbourhoods will be prioritised in the review of children's play facilities for the New Opportunities Fund.

Richard Caborn: No decisions have yet been made on this. The review is currently looking at the needs of areas which have inadequate play opportunities and groups of children who have limited access to play. A report with recommendations about priorities for play provision will be published this summer.

Sport Facilities (Rural Colleges)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance she is giving to support access to sporting facilities in rural colleges.

Tessa Jowell: The Government are fully committed to improving access to a wide range of sporting opportunities in all areas of the country, including rural areas. A number of initiatives including School Sport Co-ordinators, Spaces for Sport and the Arts and the New Opportunities Fund PE and Sport Programme will help to improve provision in rural areas.

Entertainment Licences

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to promote the use of live music in pubs and clubs by reducing the cost of entertainment licences.

Kim Howells: The Licensing Bill will do away with the current system of separate, annually renewable, public entertainment licences and establish a system under which a pub or club obtaining permission to sell alcohol will not pay anything extra to seek permission to provide live music.

Tourism

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and sport how the distinct identities of the Celtic nations will be promoted by the new UK-wide tourist body.

Kim Howells: VisitBritain will build on the work of the BTA to market vigorously overseas each component part of Britain, ensuring that the strong and distinct brand identities are strengthened and developed in partnership with Britain's national and regional tourist boards.

Churchill Museum

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will provide support for plans to build a Churchill Museum in the Cabinet War Rooms.

Kim Howells: The creation of a museum in the Cabinet War Rooms dedicated to the life achievements and legacy of Sir Winston Churchill has been a long-term goal of the Imperial War Museum, which is sponsored by my Department. I fully support the Imperial War Museum's aims and objectives for this museum, which will complete the development of the Cabinet War Rooms as a world class Heritage Resource.

Departmental Annual Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the annual report of the Department will be published.

Kim Howells: The DCMS annual report for the year 200203 will be published on 16 May 2003.

Entertainment Costs

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not entertained any Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months.

Entertainment Licensing

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is her policy that common areas in (a) sheltered accommodation, (b) residential homes and (c) day centres should be subject to licensing when used by a one-person singing entertainer.

Kim Howells: Under the provisions of the Licensing Bill, performances in sheltered accommodation, residential homes or day centres would not be licensable unless the public were able to attend, or a charge was made to those who attended with a view to do more than cover costs.

Market Testing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated level of saving to the Department is from the use of market testing in 200203.

Kim Howells: There have not been any contracts suitable for market testing over the past year.

Public Libraries

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding was allocated in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203 from the DCMS/Wolfson Public Libraries Challenge.

Kim Howells: 200102 was the final year of the DCMS/Wolfson Challenge Fund. With 3 million of funding available, 2.28 million was allocated to reader development projects and 113,000 was allocated towards a British History programme. The Wolfson Foundation carried forward the remaining monies for other purposes.

Sport (Deprivation and Youth Crime)

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's policies to help tackle deprivation and youth crime through sport.

Richard Caborn: The Government believe that sport can play a valuable part in achieving a range of social objectives such as alleviating economic and social deprivation, reducing crime, improving health and tackling social exclusion. This policy was set out in The Government's Plan for Sport and re-iterated in the joint DCMS/Strategy Unit reportGame Plan published in December last year.
	A number of measures to-achieve these objectives are in place. The policy-directions issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State require Sport England, in considering applications for Lottery funding, to have regard to their scope for reducing economic and social deprivation, to promoting access to sport for people from all sections of society and to promoting a knowledge and interest in sport in children and young people. Programmes such as Space for Sport and the Arts, the New Opportunities Fund School PE and Sport funding, the PE, School Sport and Club Links initiative and the Community Club Development programme are all targeted at deprived areas and at under-represented groups such as people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and women.
	Sport England is involved in a range of initiatives and programmes which target deprivation and social inclusion. Its Lottery strategy provides for 50 per cent. of its funding to be directed to areas of greatest need and its Active Communities Development Fund specifically aims to increase participation amongst women and girls, people on low incomes, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. It also works in close partnership with a range of organisations including the Home Office on Positive Futures, a programme which aims to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and drug taking among 1016 year olds, and the Commission for Racial Equality on the Sporting Equals programme which aims to promote racial equality in sport.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Kim Howells: In 2002,14 staff within the Department and agencies received paid leave to undertake union duties; 425 days have been allocated and the estimated cost to public funds was 58, 801.
	The timescale for response to this question does not allow for this information to be obtained for non-departmental public bodies.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the sunset clauses included in legislation from her Department since 1997.

Kim Howells: None of the Bills introduced by the Department since 1997 has contained sunset clauses.

TV Licences

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department will introduce the preserved rights scheme for TV licences in sheltered housing.

Kim Howells: We have already done so. As announced on 11 March this year Official Report, column 10WS, the necessary amending regulations were laid on that date and came into force on 1 April.

PRIME MINISTER

British Detainees (Saudi Arabia)

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has made to the Saudi Government on behalf of the British citizens imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for alleged terrorist offences; whether he has sought the support of the United States Government on this matter; and what response he has received from the Saudi Government.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on Wednesday 12 March, Official Report, column 319W.

Cabinet Meetings

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister whether the start and finish time of each meeting of the full Cabinet is recorded.

Tony Blair: No.

Document Classification

Harry Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list each document requested by hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords that have been withheld from public disclosure under the Code of Practice Access to Government Information since the establishment of the Codes, with the relevant section in each case.

Tony Blair: Requests for information are considered on an individual basis taking account of the requirements of the ministerial code, relevant statutes and the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Therefore no such list is held as the cases are dealt with individually.
	With regard to written parliamentary questions, each year the Public Administration Select Committee publishes an annual report listing the cases where Ministers have withheld information and the justification under the Code of Practice for doing so.

Exhibitions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list events at which his Department and each agency and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have exhibited in each of the past three years, stating for each (a) the purpose of exhibiting, (b) the cost of exhibiting and (c) the number of staff attending for the exhibition.

Tony Blair: None.

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of whether Iraq has (a) nuclear, (b) chemical and (c) biological weapons.

Tony Blair: Assessments of whether Iraq has nuclear, chemical and biological weapons are constantly updated in the light of information received. We continue to believe that Iraq has chemical and biological weapons, and that it is seeking to re-establish a nuclear weapons programme. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1441, the onus was placed firmly on Iraq to prove that it did not possess such weapons. It has failed to do so.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 918, what the evidential basis was for his statement that the damage done to the holy sites at Najaf were perpetrated by forces of the Iraqi regime and not by the allied air forces of the 1991 Gulf War.

Tony Blair: There are a number of independent sources which detail Saddam's damage to Shi'a holy sites in 1991. I refer my hon. Friend to the 1992 report of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iraq (UN reference E/CN.4/1992/31) which is in the House Library.

Syria /Iran

Alex Salmond: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what plans he has to meet the leaders of Syria and Iran; and what issues he plans to discuss;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the US administration regarding the Government's policy towards Syria and Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: We have ongoing close consultations with the US Administration, including my own with President Bush, about the Middle East region as a whole, including Iran and Syria. With regard to both, the UK remains committed to a policy of constructive and, where necessary, critical engagement, which allows us to support reform while maintaining a robust dialogue on issues of concern. I have no current plans to meet either President Al-Assad or President Khatami.

Websites

Tim Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the (a) cost of and (b) number of visitors to each website operated by his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible in each year since its establishment.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr Cable) on 30 October 2002, Official Report, column 855W. Visitor numbers for the website for 2000 and 2002 are as follows:
	2000: 1,635,201 visitors who viewed a total of 17,347,966 pages
	2002: 3,312,879 visitors who viewed a total of 18,777,826 pages.

Zimbabwe

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what action he intends to take to address the political problems in Zimbabwe.

Tony Blair: The Government want to see a democratically elected government in Zimbabwe following sound policies for the benefit of the people. We are deeply concerned at the recent violence in Zimbabwe.
	The Government have played a significant role in ensuring that the European Union have taken a strong position on Zimbabwe. This includes renewing measures targeted at the ZANU-PF elitetravel ban, assets freeze and arms embargoand the suspension of non-humanitarian aid. The EU has most recently expressed its concern about human rights in Zimbabwe by issuing a strong statement on 28 March. The EU is sponsoring a resolution on Zimbabwe at theUN Commission on Human Rights, which is currently taking place in Geneva.
	The Government also support the Commonwealth Secretary General's decision to continue Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth's Councils, pending discussion at CHOGM in December. We are in close touch with the regional states to encourage them to use their own influence on Zimbabwe. My Noble Friend, Baroness Amos reaffirmed the importance of this in a speech in Pretoria on 31 March.

TREASURY

Banking Services (Teenagers)

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has (a) conducted and (b) evaluated on the availability of (i) insurance and (ii) banking services to teenagers recovering from cancer.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury has not conducted or evaluated such research.

Blood Products

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to bring the level of VAT on recombinant blood products in line with that in other European countries.

John Healey: Along with other EU member states, the UK exempts from VAT human blood, and human blood components and derivatives when these are used for therapeutic purposes. Synthetic 'blood' products, such as those that are genetically engineered, are not exempt from VAT because of long-standing formal agreements with our European partners. Some recombinant blood products are therefore liable to VAT at the standard rate. However, when dispensed to a patient by a pharmacist on the prescription of a medical practitioner, recombinant blood products are zero-rated for VAT.
	The European Commission and member states, including the UK, have considered whether the exemption for human blood products should be extended to cover chemically-produced derivatives and synthetic blood products. The European Commission has not yet brought forward proposals for change in this area.

Communications Data

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 178W, on data access powers, how many applications for access to communications data there have been by (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) Customs and Excise, broken down by each piece of legislation (i) in the last year and (ii) since the enactment of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Dawn Primarolo: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 has not yet come into force in relation to access to communications data by the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise.
	In relation to the Data Protection Act 1998, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 17 October 2002, Official Report, column 938W.
	The Inland Revenue do not maintain specific records of access to communications data being sought under other legislation. In the year from 1 April 2002, the number of applications for access to communications data by HM Customs and Excise under other legislation is as follows:
	
		
			 Legislation Number of applications 
		
		
			 VAT Act 1994, s.11 18 
			 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s.1 12 
			 Drugs Trafficking Act 1994, s.55 33 
			 Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, s.118D 22 
			 Criminal Justice Act 1988, s.93H 1

Customs and Excise

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will meet the wine, spirit and beer sector to discuss the future application of HM Customs and Excise throughput rules for bonded warehouses;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact the bonded warehouse throughput rules will have on small and specialist wine distributors across the UK;
	(3)  if he will require HM Customs and Excise to incorporate risk analysis and discretionary assessments into the decision-making process authorising bonded warehouses;
	(4)  what effect the new guidelines for HM Customs and Excise rules on throughput criteria for bonded warehouses will have on the licensed trades industry;
	(5)  if he will have discussions with the Chief Executive of Customs and Excise concerning the impact of bonded warehouse throughput rules on small and specialist wine distributors across the UK;
	(6)  what representations he has received from wine and beer suppliers regarding Customs and Excise application of bonded warehouse throughput rules;
	(7)  how many compliant businesses will be affected by HM Customs and Excise requirement to uncouple physically a shop selling duty paid goods from a bond maturing wines held in duty suspense.

John Healey: In line with its wider approach to keeping burdens on business to a minimum, the Government seek to ensure that regulatory requirements on the alcohol trade are fair and proportionate, offering as much flexibility to businesses as possible while preventing unacceptable revenue losses.
	The law endows Customs and Excise with the ability to exercise discretion over approvals of excise warehouses, and requires them to deploy that discretion in a fair, equitable and reasonable way. Customs have a responsibility to businesses to ensure consistency of treatment. To this end, they have developed and published a policy on the types of premises to which they would normally grant approval. One of the conditions for approval under this policy is that businesses must meet laid-down minimum throughput criteria, which have been in place since 1980, and which were converted into the current monetary criteria in 1996. There are, therefore, no new guidelines on throughput criteria for excise warehouses.
	These criteria help ensure that a fair balance is struck between facilitating the trade in allowing traders to store goods in duty suspense, and minimising the cost to the Exchequer of allowing duty to be deferred after production or importation of excise goods, and the cost of controlling these premises. Without throughput criteria, any off-licence, tobacconist or supermarket would be eligible for excise warehouse approval and would be able to store its stock without payment of duty up until the time it was removed to its shop shelves. This would increase costs for Customs in assuring and collecting the duty from such a large number of warehouses, would delay the duty point with a consequent effect on revenue cash-flow, and would potentially provide unacceptably widespread opportunities for alcohol fraud.
	To support this approach, a further condition was introduced which established that premises used for a retail business could not also be an excise warehouse. Details of this were published in the January 1996 edition of Customs' public notice on warehousing and duty suspension.
	As the Minister responsible for Customs and Excise, I have regular meetings with their Chairman and other Senior Managers. Ministers and officials meet representatives of the alcoholic drinks industries on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the sector, including their Budget representations. I have also recently received one letter containing representations about the effect of the throughput criteria on one wine trader.

Data Protection

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether officials from (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) HM Customs and Excise who have access to records relating to electronic contacts between individuals have access to the content of such contacts; under what powers in (i) the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and (ii) other legislation access is permitted; how many requests for access were made in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Although the Inland Revenue will have access to communications data under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIPA) 2000, that access will not extend to the contents of communications, whether electronic or otherwise. Under the Taxes Management Act 1970, in criminal investigations the courts can issue warrants and make orders that give the Inland Revenue access to evidence which may include the contents of electronic communications. The number of cases in which the contents of electronic communications were made available to the Inland Revenue as part of wider evidence gathered is not known as separate records are not kept on this specific issue.
	HM Customs and Excise, in the 12 months to date, have accessed the 'electronic contacts' of an arrested person by virtue of Production Orders under three pieces of legislation. There have been 12 orders raised against 19 accounts as follows:
	
		
			 Legislation Number of times accessed 
		
		
			 Drugs Trafficking Act 1994, s.55 10 
			 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1982 1 
			 Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, s.118D(1) 1

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made with the pay review in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor's Departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies are committed to reviewing their pay systems in response to the Equal Opportunities Commission Task Force Just Pay report. Their progress in reviewing pay systems and preparing action plans in line with the guidance issued by the Cabinet Office is as follows:
	HM Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue have completed pay reviews.
	The Debt Management Office, the Office of Government Commerce, the Government Actuary's Department, the Royal Mint, National Savings and Investments, and the Valuation Office Agency will complete their pay reviews by the end of April.
	HM Treasury's equal pay review is progressing and the Office for National Statistics expects to report by the end of May.

Economic Activity

Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rates of economic activity were recorded in each of the last five years in (a) the UK and (b) each region, broken down by (i) age and (ii) sex.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Sue Doughty, dated 7 April 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about economic activity rates. (107430)
	I am placing in the House of Commons Library, tables which give the information requested based on data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Table 1 shows estimates for the United Kingdom which have been interim reweighted to reflect the results of the 2001 Census. Comparable estimates for countries and regions within the UK will be available on 16 April 2003.
	LFS estimates for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the regions of England are available based on population estimates which have not yet been adjusted to reflect the 2001 Census results. These LFS estimates are shown in Tables 26.

Energy Efficiency

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what fiscal measures or instruments he plans to use to encourage (a) registered social landlords, (b) private landlords, (c) local authorities and (d) other public bodies acting as landlords to install the most efficient heating systems in their properties;
	(2)  what plans he has to use (a) enhanced capital allowances and (b) other fiscal measures to assist energy services providers to contribute to the UK's environmental objectives;
	(3)  what fiscal measures and instruments he plans to use to encourage the installation of the most efficient heating systems in domestic properties.

John Healey: The Government have already introduced a range of measures to promote energy efficiency in the home. Budget 2000 reduced the rate of VAT to 5 per cent. on the grant-funded installation of new central heating systems and heating appliances. Budget 2002 extended the reduced rate of VAT to the grant-funded installation of factory-insulated hot water tanks, micro combined heat and power systems, and renewable energy heating systems in the homes of the less well-off.
	Budget 2001 introduced 100 per cent. first-year enhanced capital allowances (ECAs) for designated energy-saving plant and machinery.
	The ECA scheme enables businesses to write-off the whole cost of their investment in designated energy-saving equipment against the taxable profits of the period during which the investment is made. In the commercial sector, energy service companies can claim ECAs on their spending on qualifying equipment. Special rules enable them to claim allowances where, as part of a comprehensive energy services agreement, they provide equipment that becomes a fixture on another person's land in which they have no interest.
	The Government's Affordable Warmth Programme supports the installation of modern energy efficient central heating systems in low- income homes, including registered social landlord homes. The equipment is leased to the landlord and where the equipment is designated energy-saving equipment. Special rules enable the lessor to claim the enhanced capital allowances. The benefit can be passed on in the form of lower rental charges.
	The Government consulted on economic instruments to improve household energy efficiency during 2002 and a summary of responses has been published on the Treasury website. In his pre-Budget report in November 2002 the Chancellor announced that the Government will consult further on specific measures to promote greater energy efficiency by households, once the responses to the initial consultation have been fully considered.
	The Government have also introduced other measures to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty in the domestic sector, including the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) and Warm Front. This commitment requires gas and electricity suppliers to encourage and assist their domestic customers to reduce energy consumption and to meet targets for quantified energy savings. At least 50 per cent. of the benefits from the EEC currently go to households on income and disability related benefits.
	Since its launch in June 2000, the Warm Front Scheme, which provides packages of insulation and heating measures worth up to 2,500 to private sector households in receipt of certain benefits, has assisted over half a million households, helping improve the comfort levels and living conditions of some of the most vulnerable members of society.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by his Department since 17 April 2002.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury plays a leading role in the UK's EU policy on financial services and tax. Since 17 April 2002, the Treasury has led on the implementation of 10 Directives:
	directive 2000/46/EC on the taking-up, pursuit of and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions (implementation date: 27 April 2002);
	directive 2000/28/EC, amending Directive 2000/12/EC relating to the taking up and pursuit of the business of credit institutions (implementation date: 27 April 2002);
	directive 2001/44/EC, amending Directive 76/308/EEC on mutual assistance for the recovery of claims resulting from operations forming part of the system of financing the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, and of agricultural levies and customs duties and in respect of value added tax and certain excise duties (implementation date: 24 July 2002);
	directive 2000/31/EC on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the Internal Market ('Directive on electronic commerce') (implemented by the Treasury as regards matters within the scope of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000: implementation date: 21 August 2002);
	directive 2000/26/EC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles and amending Council Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC (Fourth Motor Insurance Directive) (implementation date: 19 January 2003);
	directive 2001/78/EC of 13 September 2001 amending Annex IV to Council Directive 93/36/EEC, Annexes IV, V and VI to Council Directive 93/37/EEC, Annexes III and IV to Council Directive 92/50/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/52/EC, and Annexes XII to XV, XVII and XVIII to Council Directive 93/38/EEC, as amended by Directive 98/4/EC (Directive on the use of standard forms in the publication of public contract notices) (implementation date: 4 February 2003);
	directive 2002/38/EC and regulation 792/2002 regarding value added tax arrangements applicable to electronically supplied services and broadcasting;
	directive 2002/10/EC concerning the structure and rates of excise duty applied on manufactured tobacco;
	directive 2001/115/EC with a view to simplifying, modernising and harmonising the conditions laid down for VAT invoicing;
	Commission decision 2001/574, following directive 95/60/EC, establishing a common fiscal marker for gas oils and kerosene.
	I am not aware of any further directives being implemented since 17 April 2002, but the Department does not keep a central record of this information and it could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
	EC Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states, without the need for further incorporation into national law. However, some Regulations require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable. Some Regulations enact small or technical amendments. As far as we have been able to verify, the number of Regulations implemented by HM Treasury since 17 April 2002 is three:
	regulations (EC) No 1224/2002 and (EC) No 1643/2002, amending regulation (EC) No 310/2002 concerning certain restrictive measures in respect of Zimbabwe (implementation date: 31 October 2002);
	regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 on cross-border payments in euro (implementation date: 25 March 2003).
	ED directives and Regulations are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, which can be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce concessions for Fair Trade companies for (a) capacity building activities and (b) capital investment programmes.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to supporting ethical trading wherever possible and provides significant support to the Fairtrade Foundation's efforts in promoting the supply and marketing of fair trade products. All taxes are kept under review and any proposals for new taxes and tax reliefs will be considered as part of the normal Budget process. Since 1997 the Government have introduced incentives to benefit all companies including, cuts in the rates of corporation tax and permanent 40 per cent. first year allowances.

Health Insurance

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact on low income families of his decision to end the tax exemption of trading surpluses of non-mutual, not-for-profit health cash plan providers;
	(2)  what representations he received from commercial insurers prior to ending the tax exemption of trading surpluses of non-mutual, not-for-profit health cash plan providers in relation to that change;
	(3)  what tax revenue assumptions he made in deciding to end the tax exemption of trading surpluses of non-mutual, not-for-profit health cash plan providers.

John Healey: There has been no change to the underlying tax rules that are used when determining the mutual trading status of health cash plan providers. Tax exemption continues to apply to providers which meet the requirements for mutual trading or which have amended their constitutions and membership rules in order to comply with them.
	The Inland Revenue reviewed the status of these organisations in 2000, following an inquiry which discovered that the conditions of mutual trading were not being met by some providers. During that review, the Inland Revenue considered whether the necessary legal requirements of mutuality were being met in cases where mutual trading had been claimed.
	No representations were made to Treasury Ministers during the Inland Revenue review. Inland Revenue held discussions with the representative body of these providers, and offered not to apply the changed treatment retrospectively and to allow a grace period for the providers to decide how to operate in future. No assessment can be made of the impact of this review, which will depend on decisions taken by individual providers.

Higher Rate Tax Payers (Buckingham)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many higher rate tax payers there were in the Buckingham constituency in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 200203.

Dawn Primarolo: There were around 10,000 higher rate income taxpayers in the constituency of Buckingham in the 200001 tax year. This estimate is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes. I regret that estimates are not available for later years.

No. 11 Downing Street

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times No. 11 Downing street has been used for charitable causes in the last year; which organisations were involved; and how much was raised.

Ruth Kelly: Nine charitable events have been held at No. 11 in the last year.Events were held for the National Council for One Parent Families, Parentline, Family Services Units, Community Links, Charity Bank, National Deaf Children Society, Maggie's Centres, Streetsmart and the Special Olympics.
	Funds are not raised at charitable events held at No. 11. Fund raising is a matter for the charities concerned.

Pensioners

Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage of pensioners in the population of each parliamentary constituency.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Sue Doughty, dated 7 April 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the percentage of pensioners in each parliamentary constituency, (107432)
	The Office for National Statistics does not produce mid-year population estimates on parliamentary constituency boundaries. Results from the 2001 Census have not yet been published at this geographic level.
	The smallest area level for which we produce mid-year population estimates is for local authorities. In view of this, I am placing in the House of Commons Library, a table which shows the percentage of people of pensionable age in each local authority in England and Wales.

Self-assessment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total cost of income tax collection in the latest year for which information is available per self-assessment taxpayer.

Dawn Primarolo: In general, the costs of collecting self-assessment tax are minimal because it is sent in voluntarily by the due date by most taxpayers. In relation to tax paid late, the Inland Revenue estimates that the average cost of collecting self-assessment income tax in 200102 was 3.58 per self-assessment taxpayer. This figure is based on the total pay costs for the staff and managers concerned.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were employed by his Department in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Minister of State, Cabinet Office gave him on 4 April 2003, Official Report, columns 89192W.

Tax Credits

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the Tax Credits (Interest Rate) Regulations.

Dawn Primarolo: No representations have been received.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service (Training)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will arrange for each member of the civil service to be trained in the provisions and application of the (a) Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (b) Data Protection Act 1998.

Douglas Alexander: The training of civil servants in the provisions and application of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998 is a matter for individual Departments. Further information about the activities by Departments to train civil servants in readiness for the Freedom of Information Act 2000 can be found in section 6 in the most recent annual report by the Lord Chancellor on progress towards implementation of the Act (HC 6 November 2002) .

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by his Department since 17 April 2002.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has not implemented any EU Directives or Regulations since 17 April 2002.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has one full time local union representative.
	Cabinet Office agencies have one officer who spends part of their time undertaking union duties on an ad hoc basis, but does not have time formally allocated to them for this work.
	Cabinet Office non-departmental public bodies have no such staff.
	The total cost to public funds in 2002 was 32,507.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers (Bela River)

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to use the former Bela River prison camp, between Milnthorpe and Holme in Cumbria, as a dispersal centre for asylum seekers.

Beverley Hughes: There are currently no plans to use the Bela River prison camp as accommodation for asylum seekers. This should not be taken to mean that we would never use the accommodation in connection with housing for asylum seekers. If the accommodation were to be offered to us we would consider its potential use in the light of our needs at that time.

Command Paper 5778

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) departments, (b) local authorities and (c) voluntary organisations his Department consulted in drafting Command Paper 5778.

Bob Ainsworth: The White Paper Respect and Responsibility, published on 12 March, sets out the Government's vision for tackling anti-social behaviour.
	The White Paper represents a cross-cutting agenda being taken forward by a number of Government Departments. It has been informed by the experience of local authorities, the police, voluntary organisations, and communities up and down the country. We will continue to work closely with local authorities, the police and others to ensure that effective action is taken to deal with anti-social behaviour.

Entitlement Cards

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many submissions were made to the Entitlement Cards consultation; and if he will place copies in the Library;
	(2)  whether he intends to publish a summary of responses to the Entitlement Cards consultation.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 4 April 2003
	A final assessment of all responses received during the consultation period is still being undertaken, but the figure is well in excess of 2,000.
	Copies of every response received will not, as a matter of routine, be placed in the Library. It would be disproportionate in cost to provide such a large volume of paper records.
	In accordance with current policy on written public consultation, we will be publishing a summary of the views received and individual contributions will be made available on request, unless the contributor has asked for confidentiality or that such publication would unfairly affect third party interests or privacy.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by his Department since 17 April 2002.

Bob Ainsworth: The Home Office plays a leading role in the UK's EU policy on asylum and immigration. Since 17 April 2002, the Home Office has implemented, on the basis of provisions in existing legislation, Council Directive 2001/51/EC of 28 June 2001 supplementing the provisions of Article 26 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement. Notification to the effect was sent to the Commission on 16 January 2003.
	EC Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states, without the need for further incorporation into national law. However, some Regulations may require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable. The legislative changes required to implement the EURODAC Regulation were made in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, effective from 11 December 2000, by virtue of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (Commencement No. 8 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2000. Implementation was completed when the centralised EURODAC fingerprint database became operational on 15 January 2003.

Police

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on funding of non-territorial police forces.

Bob Ainsworth: The Home Office has lead responsibility for the police forces covered by the Police Acts 1996 and 1997. Lead responsibility for other police forces resides with the relevant Government Department. However, wherever there are issues, including funding issues, that impact either on the relationship between such non-territorial police forces and the regular police forces in England and Wales, or on policing generally, the Home Office will discuss these issues with the relevant lead Department to endeavour to deliver the best joined-up policing on the ground.

Police

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) overspend and (b) underspend was for each police authority in England and Wales in each year since 199697.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 16 January 2003
	The table compares initial estimates and actual net expenditure, before movements in reserves, for each police authority from 199697 to 200001, the most recent year for which actual expenditure has been published.
	Police authorities meet net expenditure from general grants, precepts and reserves. In the light of events during the year, net expenditure will often differ from initial estimates.
	
		Police authorities estimated and actual net expenditure 199697 to 199899 --  million
		
			  Estimates 199697 Actuals 199697 Difference Estimates 199798 Actuals 199798 Dfference Estimates 199899 Actuals 199899 Difference 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 154.62 152.09 -2.53 160.66 152.67 -7.99 167.42 162.73 -4.69 
			 Bedfordshire 57.54 56.63 -0.91 59.79 58.57 -1.22 62.32 61.78 -0.54 
			 Cambridgeshire 66.23 65.02 -1.21 69.29 68.68 -0.61 71.23 73.43 2.20 
			 Cheshire 97.13 94,18 -2.95 101.79 104.00 2.21 106.52 107.09 0.57 
			 City of London 59.69 57.32 -2.37 61.69 57.89 -3.80 60.86 60.35 -0.51 
			 Cleveland 76.69 73.12 -357 78.89 75.43 -3.46 82.28 81.30 -0.98 
			 Cumbria 58.22 56.86 -1.36 59.99 61.71 1.72 63.00 62.53 -0.47 
			 Derbyshire 92.04 90.42 -1.62 96.21 95.64 -0.57 100.89 100.06 -0.83 
			 Devon and Cornwall 153.50 150,39 -3.11 158.01 155.44 -2.57 167.12 166.33 -0.79 
			 Dorset 68.06 67.83 -0.23 70.04 69.73 -0.31 73.50 73.12 -0.38 
			 Durham 70.70 68.04 -2.66 73.70 75.17 1.47 78.10 74.67 -3.43 
			 Dyfed-Powys 48.81 47.87 -0.94 50.48 50.95 0.47 52.61 50.04 -2.57 
			 Essex 154.98 151.41 -3.57 161.02 157.49 -3.53 168.89 156.82 -12.07 
			 Gloucestershire 58.62 58.42 -0.20 60.80 58.63 -2.17 63.78 62.86 -0.92 
			 Greater Manchester 343.71 341.17 -2.54 355.13 353.32 -1.81 371.50 354.17 -17.33 
			 Gwent 61.85 57.74 -4.11 65.16 64.60 -0.56 67.92 67.66 -0.26 
			 Hampshire 175.58 172.85 -2.73 182.51 180.80 -1.71 190.92 186.66 -4.26 
			 Hertfordshire 90.43 88.86 -1.57 93.95 93.01 -0.94 97.86 95.07 -2.79 
			 Humberside 102.80 99.72 -3.08 107.80 106.22 -1.58 111.59 112.57 0.98 
			 Kent 164.22 161.63 -2.59 170.63 174.21 3.58 178.92 175.58 -3.34 
			 Lancashire 164.64 161.87 -2.77 171.34 169.28 -2.06 178.05 177.31 -0.74 
			 Leicestershire 94.72 92.85 -1.87 97.45 98.79 1.34 102.71 102.80 0.09 
			 Lincolnshire 63.32 61.51 -1.81 65.78 66.18 0.40 68.32 66.66 -1.66 
			 Merseyside 225.71 221.17 -4.54 235.03 224.33 -10.70 245.28 240.27 -5.01 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,685.65 1,683.18 -2.47 1,706.60 1,676.62 -29.98 1,778.00 1,716.43 -61.57 
			 Norfolk 76.16 75.55 -0.61 80.77 80.22 -0.55 82.34 80.54 -1.80 
			 North Wales 69.34 68.27 -1.07 72.04 70.92 -1.12 75.08 72.48 -2.60 
			 Northamptonshire 61.78 59.25 -2.53 64.77 64.61 -0.16 67.13 67.06 -0.07 
			 North Yorkshire 69.98 67.04 -2.94 73.46 71.84 -1.62 75.64 75.34 -0.30 
			 Northumbria 188.22 186.41 -1.81 195.29 195.09 -0.20 205.38 205.27 -0.11 
			 Nottinghamshire 114.83 113.59 -1.24 119.*4 120.56 0.88 124.83 127.02 2.19 
			 South Wales 151.52 147.46 -4.06 156.80 159.41 2.61 163.43 160.94 -2.49 
			 South Yorkshire 156.90 150.95 -5.95 162.95 166.03 3.08 168.21 167.16 -1.05 
			 Staffordshire 110.33 107.83 -2.50 115.25 110.26 -4.99 122.54 116.23 -6.31 
			 Suffolk 62.44 60.97 -1.47 64.77 63.68 -1.09 65.79 66.10 0.31 
			 Surrey 87.36 85.35 -2.01 90.74 90.98 0.24 90.74 91.43 0.69 
			 Sussex 149.95 150.63 0.68 156.39 157.63 1.24 162.66 161,85 -0.81 
			 Thames Valley 204.39 201.40 -2.99 212.16 210,33 -1.83 221.14 209.68 -11.46 
			 Warwickshire 49.41 47.69 -1.72 51.45 51.00 -0.45 53.62 52.02 -1.60 
			 West Mercia 103.59 102.08 -1.51 107.70 107.79 0.09 112.88 113.76 0.88 
			 West Midlands 345.57 337.99 -7.58 357.17 360.13 2.96 372.30 368.61 -3.69 
			 West Yorkshire 262.19 265.23 3.04 273.21 281.75 8.54 280.74 277.99 -2.75 
			 Wiltshire 61.85 59.99 -1.86 65.25 58.54 -6.71 66.67 68.81 2.14 
			   
			 Total 6,715.28 6,619.83 -95.45 6,933.59 6,870.13 -63.46 7,220.71 7,070.58 -150.13 
		
	
	
		 million
		
			  Estimates 19992000 Actuals 19992000 Difference Estimates 200001 Actuals 200001 Difference 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 174.42 174.34 -0.08 181.21 180.52 -0.69 
			 Bedfordshire 64.03 63.61 -0.42 66.43 64.90 -1.53 
			 Cambridgeshire 75.36 75.05 -0.31 79.24 77.89 -1.35 
			 Cheshire 111.09 113.28 2.19 114.58 115.24 0.66 
			 City of London 58.72 57.85 -0.87 58.95 57,72 -1.23 
			 Cleveland 85.40 85.26 -0.14 85.60 86.68 1.08 
			 Cumbria 64.69 64.79 0.10 67.40 67.25 -0.15 
			 Derbyshire 107.04 105.59 -1.45 110.82 105.56 -5.26 
			 Devon and Cornwall 173.65 175.06 1.41 182.87 178.30 -4.57 
			 Dorset 77.75 76.96 -0.79 81.00 79.71 -1.29 
			 Durham 80.71 79.66 -1.05 85.78 81.18 4.60 
			 Dyfed-Powys 56.14 56.00 -0.14 59.28 57.98 -1.30 
			 Essex 171.59 167.97 -3.62 184.49 181.41 -3.08 
			 Gloucestershire 65.93 65.76 -0.17 68.70 68.16 -0.54 
			 Greater Manchester 387.26 374.80 -12.46 400.00 385.75 -14.25 
			 Gwent 71.41 70.83 -0.58 76.14 75.34 -0.80 
			 Hampshire 196.96 197.48 0.52 202.53 206.55 4.02 
			 Hertfordshire 102.36 104.45 2.09 120.95 121.09 0.14 
			 Humberside 114.31 113.94 -0.37 119.90 116.47 -3.43 
			 Kent 186.23 186.26 0.03 193.13 195.98 2.85 
			 Lancashire 182.68 182.00 -0.68 190.18 191.35 1.17 
			 Leicestershire 106.28 107.26 0.98 110.15 110.80 0.65 
			 Lincolnshire 69.97 69.38 -0.59 72.73 73.67 0.94 
			 Merseyside 249.52 248.41 -1.11 257.11 255.59 -1.52 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,840.25 1,838.89 -1.36 1,837.57 1,890.99 53.42 
			 Norfolk 86.87 87.18 0.31 91.51 91.69 0.18 
			 North Wales 80.51 78.70 -1.81 84.02 83.91 -0.11 
			 Northamptonshire 70.43 69.15 -1.28 73.08 74.63 1.55 
			 North Yorkshire 78.09 78.18 0.09 83.75 84.17 0.42 
			 Northumbria 213.01 212.70 -0.31 218.39 214.24 -4.15 
			 Nottinghamshire 130.17 129.47 -0,70 134.30 133.57 -0.73 
			 South Wales 169.97 169.91 -0.06 179.82 180.83 1.02 
			 South Yorkshire 173.93 176.01 2.08 181.05 178.14 -2.91 
			 Staffordshire 127.47 127.00 -0.47 126.96 125.65 -1.31 
			 Suffolk 70.54 70.51 -0.03 74.06 72.26 -1.80 
			 Surrey 100.38 100.09 -0.29 120.13 123.50 3.37 
			 Sussex 165.80 165.56 -0.24 172.51 173.54 1.03 
			 Thames Valley 232.73 227.02 -5.71 236.95 232.57 -4.38 
			 Warwickshire 56.16 55.16 -1.00 59.01 56.12 -2.89 
			 West Mercia 116.49 111.45 -5.04 125.70 121.30 -4.40 
			 West Midlands 380.97 381.48 0.51 395.10 385.98 -9.12 
			 West Yorkshire 288.87 286.09 -2.78 304.13 297.75 -6.38 
			 Wiltshire 69.72 69.82 0.10 71.98 70.47 -1.51 
			
			 Total 7,485.86 7,450.36 -35.50 7,739.18 7,726.40 -12.78 
		
	
	Source
	The chartered institute of public finance and accountancy police statistics 199697 to 200001 (Actuals).
	Net expenditure is service expenditure less specific income and receipts, before movements in reserves.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HIV/AIDS

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts the UK Government is making to improve the understanding by overseas governments of the challenge facing the states of Africa in tackling HIV and AIDS.

Clare Short: There are a number of ways in which the UK Government are improving understanding of the challenges faced by African countries in tackling HIV and AIDS. Working at a country level, many of our bilateral programmes are supporting National AIDS Councils to generate knowledgehelping to build capacity in developing strategies that are based on sound evidence, to prevent the spread of HIV, care for those already living with HIV/AIDS, and to mitigate against the impact of the disease. At a regional level, the International Partnership against AIDS in Africa (IPAA), a DFID funded initiative, is also helping to build governments' understanding of the epidemic so they can scale up their country responses, and assisting in the sharing of lessons learnt across the region.
	More specifically, in South Africa DFID is co-funding (with USAID and AusAid) a number of research papers into the economic impact of HIV/AIDS. We plan to undertake similar knowledge generation in Kenya and Malawi.
	My Department is also supporting the UNAIDS' initiative 'AIDS In AfricaScenarios for the Future'. This innovative project aims to map out the possible impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic on Africa in the next 20 years in order to identify what needs to be done to alter the course of events.

HIV/AIDS

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to (a) governments and (b) non-governmental organisations in Africa to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Clare Short: My Department recognises that HIV/AIDS is a terrible human catastrophe and is one of the most important development challenges facing Africa. Over 180 million was committed to programmes focusing on HIV/AIDS and sexual health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa last year, with intensive bi-lateral action in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Over 25 million has been committed to support the International Partnership Against AIDS in Africa (IPAA) initiativea regional, Africa-led initiative aimed at building Governments' national responses to the AIDS crisis, with a focus on Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, and Ghana. In addition to working with governments, DFID also supports the efforts of non-governmental and civil society organisations in their efforts at preventing the spread of HIV, caring for those already living with the disease, and working to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on people's lives. Support is given through DFID's Challenge Fund and Partnership Programme Agreements, with international NGOs, as well as directly to local NGOs and civil society organisations through our in-country programmes.

Zimbabwe

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to international efforts to overcome the threat of starvation in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I have contacted all OECD Development Ministers to ask them to do more to help Zimbabwe and have increased the UK's contribution, which now stands at 51 million since September 2001. As a part of this, DFID has provided 18.3 million in support of the World Food Programme's emergency operation, which is currently feeding almost five million Zimbabweans. My Department has also been active in supporting the wider work of the UN, assisting in their analysis of needs, the design of relief efforts, and helping support UN logistical and management capacity.

Zimbabwe

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to (a) the Government and (b) non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe to combat the threat of mass starvation.

Clare Short: Donors work through the UN and non-governmental channels in Zimbabwe, and do not support the Government's programme which is not operated transparently.
	DFID has provided 3.75m for NGO feeding direct NGO programmes since September 2001, which are currently providing supplementary food to more than 1.5 million vulnerable Zimbabweans per day. We have also provided 5m through NGOs for seeds and fertilizer to help increase food production this year.

Advertising Campaigns

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns between April 2002 and March 2003; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media.

Clare Short: Between April 2002 and March 2003, DFID spent 292,957 on promotional activity to raise development awareness, and 137,837 on the promotion of initiatives such as DFID's Public Service Agreement and HIV/AIDS Awareness to DFID staff in the UK and overseas. The total spending on advertising in print media relating to recruitment and contract procurement during the same period was 1,146,000.
	These figures are subject to final auditing to take account of any end of year adjustments.
	There was no expenditure on television or radio advertising in this period.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money was pledged by donors in Tokyo for Afghan reconstruction in 2002; how much money has been received for Afghan reconstruction; and how much of this money has been spent on (i) relief and (ii) reconstruction and development.

Clare Short: At the Tokyo conference in January 2002 donors pledged US$4.5 billion for reconstruction and humanitarian assistance over one to five years. As some donors made multi year pledges it is difficult to place a specific figure on how much of this aid was designated for 2002. However, over $1.8 billion was disbursed last year, with many donors providing more than their single year pledges or front-loading multi year pledges.
	It is very difficult to sustain a meaningful distinction between relief and reconstruction and development assistance to Afghanistan. We estimate that up to 50 per cent. of assistance last year was for humanitarian assistance.The trend towards a larger proportion of assistance being directed towards long term development will continue in the next and future years.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the slum areas arising around Kabul, Herat and other Afghan cities, with particular reference to the humanitarian conditions in these slum areas.

Clare Short: Urbanisation is a common phenomenon in developing countries in Asia. The situation is made particularly acute in Afghanistan by a combination of a shortage of shelter, due to the destruction of buildings caused by decades of conflict, and an increase in demand, caused by internal displacement of people to the cities and the return of 1.7 million Afghan refugees in 2002. 1.2 million more are expected to return in 2003. Limited or lack of employment opportunities in the rural areas add to the problem, with many rural inhabitants migrating to the cities.
	Lack of adequate shelter in informal urban settlements is a major humanitarian concern in Afghanistan. This was particularly serious during the recent winter months. The UN, working with local Afghans as well as international NGOs, have been providing assistance to meet humanitarian needs throughout Afghanistan, including in these urban areas and in particular through their recent successful Winterisation Programme. For example, UNHCR is assisting in the sustainable re-integration of returning refugees. Their assistance includes immediate needs including cash, and shelter kits. UNICEF is also working to provide shelter, water/sanitation, health, nutrition, and education.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the rights of Afghan women outside Kabul.

Clare Short: The rights of Afghan women remain a concern throughout Afghanistan, although we welcome the recent signing on 5 March of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The UK will help Afghanistan to implement CEDAW, with access to services by women and girls being monitored as in those reconstruction programmes that we support. Access to healthcare and education for women and girls in rural areas continues to be a problem, although 1.5 million girls have returned to school as part of the ATA and UNICEF's Back-to School programme.
	Women's rights and access to services often vary between regions and provinces, however. In the north, for example, women hold senior positions in local government ministries and have influence in the local community. About a third of teachers in the north are women, and mixed classes of boys and girls are permitted. Approximately 30 per cent. of the students are girls.
	In other areas of the country, with different ethnic balances and different cultural and religious norms the situation is less advanced. We are concerned about the recent decree from Ishmael Khan in Herat, enforcing strict gender segregation in schools. As there is a shortage of female teachers in Herat, we understand that this may prevent women and girls from receiving an education.

Burundi

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of (a) political stability and (b) the humanitarian situation in Burundi.

Clare Short: Despite the 2 December 2002 ceasefire agreement with the FDD, fighting continues in Burundi. Moreover the FNL still remain outside the peace process. We welcome President Buyoya's decision to step down on 1 May, thereby honouring the provisions of the Arusha Accord settingup the transitional government. The early deployment of the African mission force is central to achieving a full ceasefire and the smooth transition of power after the 1 May handover. The UK is working actively within the UN and with regional leaders to achieve this and we are ready to contribute to the costs involved.
	The humanitarian situation in Burundi is very poor, with very high levels of disease, high rates of malnutrition and, resulting from this, high levels of mortality. There are serious problems of access to some communities. DFID committed 1.9 million to Burundi last financial year, made up of 1 million in humanitarian interventions and 0.9 million for peace building activities. Our humanitarian interventions have focused on nutrition and health support, channelled through international NGOs and UN agencies. The EC provided humanitarian funding totalling US$ 15.7 million (about 10.12 million) in 2002. The 2003 Community budget for humanitarianassistance totals US$ 15 million (about 9.67 million).

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made with the pay review in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The Department has just substantially completed its equal pay audit of staff below the Senior Civil Service, in line with the Government's commitment to review pay systems by April 2003 in response to the Equal Opportunities Commission Task Force Just Pay report. So far no significant pay gaps have been found. However, there are some areas requiring further analysis and these are being taken forward in consultation with recognised trade unions.

Departmental Running Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

Clare Short: DFID's net expenditure on running costs for 200102 (the last year for which figures are available) was 81.957 million. Figures for DFID running costs for 200203 will be published shortly in the departmental Resource Accounts.
	Figures for the running costs of Ministers' private offices are not recorded separately.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by her Department since 17 April 2002.

Clare Short: Since 17 April 2002, the Department for International Development has not implemented any Directives.
	EC Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the Member States, without the need for further incorporation into national law. However, some Regulations require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable. Some Regulations enact small or technical amendments. As far as we have been able to verify the Department for International Development have not implemented any regulations since 17 April 2002.

Global Health Fund

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development further to her answer of 13 March, Official Report, column 354W, how her Department will measure the effectiveness of the Global Health Fund.

Clare Short: DFID is actively working with the Global Fund and has provided expertise to assist in the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework which will monitor the impact of the fund at both country and global levels. Progress against key indicators will be reported to the Board of the Fund on which DFID is represented. DFID is also represented on the Monitoring and Evaluation Finance and Audit Committee of the Global Fund which provides more detailed oversight.
	In addition DFID will commission independent studies of the performance of the Fund. The first of theseto be carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicineis currently underway.

Human Trafficking

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department is doing to tackle (a) human trafficking and (b) trafficking of women.

Clare Short: The trafficking of people is part of a wider set of issues related to the migration of poor people to better their lives, and to their vulnerability to national and international smugglers and traffickers. Trafficking is an international problem requiring co-ordinated action. DFID's role is to work to eliminate the poverty and social injustice that can lead to such abuse. Through our programmes to promote sustainable development and end poverty, DFID is helping to reduce the circumstances that give rise to this appalling trade, and which make women and children especially vulnerable. With other Government Departments, we are supporting the efforts of Governments and international agencies to strengthen social protection policies and justice systems in line with the international treaty framework covering these issues.
	For example, in SE Asia, we are supporting the International Labour Organisation's work to reduce the trafficking of women in Laos, Thailand, China (Yunnan), Cambodia and Vietnam. It involves a number of interlinked interventions to raise awareness and prevent the trade. In the Balkans we recently supported the International Organisation for Migration in training the various agencies dealing with trafficked people, including police, social workers and the legal profession, in order to create and disseminate models of good practice.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs regarding humanitarian aid to Iraq (a) during and (b) after the war.

Clare Short: I discuss humanitarian assistance and planning for Iraq regularly with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian aid has been delivered in Iraq.

Clare Short: Stocks have been pre-positioned in country and in surrounding areas and are being utilised as required and in line with the evolving security situation on the ground.
	In the north, UNICEF has brought in limited supplies, the Mines Action Group (MAG) is undertaking mine clearance, the World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered food, and the World Health Organisation is supporting local health providers to assess disease outbreaks.
	In Baghdad controlled Iraq the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working with local technicians to repair water and power supplies in seven Baghdad hospitals and to provide drinking water.
	In the south the coalition military are discharging their humanitarian obligations under the Geneva Convention and Hague regulations in order to provide relief in the interim in the territory they occupy. UN agencies and NGO's are now beginning to enter. The ICRC has been repairing water and power supplies at the main Basra pumping station and distributing medical supplies. UNICEF has begun to distribute clean water and emergency kits; the International Medical Corps (IMC) has begun to provide assistance to the hospital in Umm Qasr; and Caritas Iraq has sent emergency medical supplies from Baghdad to Basra. The Coalition military has completed a 3.5 km water pipeline from Kuwait to Umm Qasr allowing water to be delivered to surrounding populations.
	This is far from a complete picture. Our daily published reports contain further information on humanitarian assistance in Iraq and are available from the Commons Library.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the United Nations regarding humanitarian aid to Iraq.

Clare Short: I visited New York and Washington on 1920 March to meet the United Nations Secretary General and others to try to ensure that proper preparations are being made for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction in Iraq. Since then, I have had discussions with other UN officials including the Executive Directors of the World Food Programme and the United Nations Population Fund. I will be visiting New York again this week for further discussions.
	My Department is in daily contact with UN humanitarian agencies through the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) based in Cyprus, to which we have seconded two members of staff.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2003, Official Report, column 353W, why officials from her Department were not previously in a position to meet with local Iraqi non-governmental organisations.

Clare Short: DFID officials have not been able to meet local Iraqi NGOs due to the security climate in Iraq. DFID has on-going programmes of support in the North of Iraq, through Save the Children UK; HelpAge International; Christian Aid; Response Relief Resettlement and Rehabilitation (4Rs); A Community Oriented Rehabilitation Network (ACORN) and Care in the Centre/South. All of these work extensively with local Iraqi people and local NGOs to implement their programmes.
	Any new or future support in Iraq will similarly seek to maximise partnerships with local Iraqi organisations.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff were employed by her Department in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the central answer provided by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 4 April 2003, Official Report, columns 89192W.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Clare Short: We have two full time union officialsone in each of our UK offices. Paid leave is also granted to several other union officials at both locations. This totals to approximately the equivalent of one additional full time member of staff. The cost for the 200203 financial year was approximately 64,640 (based on the average cost of staff at those grades). We have no agencies or public bodies with staff in this category.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the statutory instruments issued by her Department in the last 12 months, indicating (a) the purpose of each and (b) the cost of each to (i) public funds, (ii) businesses and (iii) individuals.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 17 December 2002, Official Report, column 707W, which listed statutory instruments issued by my Department in 2002. Since then the House of Commons has approved two further statutory instruments: the African Development Fund (Ninth Replenishment) Order and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Fifth Replenishment) Order. With the exception of the International Development Act 2002 (Commencement) Order 2002, the purpose of each was to permit a contribution by DFID to a multilateral development bank. No significant costs were occurred from public funds in arranging for implementation of the orders prior to the contributions made under them.
	Contributions made in the last 12 months under these statutory instruments were:
	African Development Fund (Additional Subscriptions) Order 200240 million
	Caribbean Development Bank (Further Payments) Order 20028.748 million
	International Development Association (Thirteenth Replenishment) Order 2003300 million.
	There were no costs to (ii) businesses or (iii) individuals.

UNHCR (Funding)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of her Department's funding for the UNHCR has been allocated to support (a) Afghan refugees and (b) Iraqi refugees.

Clare Short: My Department provided a total of 5.8 million to UNHCR's Afghanistan Appeal in the 20023 financial year. This allocation includes 1.8 million agreed in March 2003 as part of a package of emergency support for Afghan refugees.
	For Iraq, between February and March 2003 we gave 1.75 million towards UNHCR's Supplementary Programme Budget for contingency planning and preparedness,, We are in regular contact with UNHCR. They report that there have been no significant arrivals of refugees reported into any of the countries neighbouring Iraq. UNHCR is continuing its border monitoring and preparations in the Iraq region. We are committed to supporting an effective international humanitarian response and remain ready to contribute funds in the event of a refugee outflow. This is in addition to our contribution of 65 million to the UN Flash Appeal launched on 28 March in New York by Louise Frechette, the Deputy Secretary-General.

TRANSPORT

Air Passengers

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers on average (a) arrived and (b) departed from UK airports from (i) North America, (ii) mainland Europe, (iii) the Middle East and (iv) other in (A) 2002, (B) 2003 to date, (C) March 2003 and (D) monthly for the remainder of 2003 (projected).

David Jamieson: The latest available information is as follows. The Department does not forecast monthly passenger movements by air.
	
		International arrivals or departures(1)at UK airports by area of origin/destination
		
			  Passengers (million) 
			  2002 January 2003 
		
		
			 North America 19.8 1.3 
			 Europe 103.9 6.4 
			 Middle East 3.1 0.3 
			 Other 19.9 1.6 
			 All 146.7 9.6 
		
	
	(1) Available information does not separate arrivals and departures.

Air Travel and Health

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, column 114W, on air travel and health, if he will place a copy of the review in the Library.

David Jamieson: Copies of the report have today been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Aircraft Noise

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been undertaken to minimise the effects of aircraft noise on people in the South East region of England.

David Jamieson: All but the smallest civil jet aircraft flying into the UK have (subject to certain exemption provisions) since 1 April 2002 been required to be noise-certificated according to ICAO Chapter 3 standards.
	Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports are designated under s.80 for the purposes of s.78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. By notices under this section, a range of operational noise controls has been applied. These include night restrictions, departure noise limits, noise preferential departure routes, and noise-minimizing approach procedures.
	Other airports have set their own noise controls, in some cases pursuant to planning obligations, and often similar in kind to the designated airports' controls.

Aircraft Noise

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what change there has been in the last year in the number of people affected by aircraft noise in the South East region of England.

David Jamieson: My Department is responsible for the publication of annual daytime noise contours for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. The contours for 2002, showing year-on-year changes, will be published shortly, and details will be made available on our website. Copies of the contour booklets will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Information about aircraft noise exposure elsewhere in the South East is a matter for the aerodromes concerned.

Aston Clinton Bypass

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the completion date for the Aston Clinton Bypass.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency's latest estimate for completion of the A41 Aston Clinton Bypass is late summer 2003.

Bicycle Safety

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was set aside for maintenance of bicycle lanes in Britain in (a) 1998, (b) 2000 and (c) 2002.

David Jamieson: The provisions for local highway maintenance are through the Highways Maintenance Formula for Standing Spending element of Revenue Support Grant and through the Local Transport Plan capital settlement.
	It is for local authorities to determine their own priorities for highway maintenance spending, and no separate provisions for bicycle lanes are made. As these lanes form part of a vehicular highway, they would normally be maintained in conjunction with the rest of the carriageway, and this makes deriving separate expenditure figures difficult.

Bridges and Tunnels Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost implications are of the Trunk Road Charging Scheme (Bridges and Tunnels) (Keeping of Accounts) (England) Regulations.

David Jamieson: These regulations will not impose any costs on business, voluntary groups or charities. They require the Secretary of State to prepare annual audited accounts, which are to be laid before each House of Parliament during the period the net proceeds of a charging scheme are to be made available for transport policies.

British Transport Police

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional funding the British Transport Police receive for duties undertaken in respect of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 provides officers of the British Transport Police (BTP) with jurisdiction outside the railways in certain, specified circumstances. The number of incidents where BTP officers respond in such circumstances accounts for some 1 per cent. of their activities each year. The costs are absorbed within BTP's budget and are offset by the assistance provided to BTP by local police forces for which BTP are not charged.

British Transport Police

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the funding of the British Transport Police.

David Jamieson: The British Transport Police (BTP) Committee sets the budget for the force and the users of the BTP, such as London Underground, Network Rail and the train operating companies provide the necessary funding.
	Where the BTP contributes to national policing initiatives and wider public benefits are available, the Government accepts that central funding can be justified. Additional Government funding of over 5 million has been provided to allow the BTP to participate fully in the Street Crime Initiative and the new national police radio system.

Bus Passengers

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys were taken by bus passengers in each passenger transport authority area in each of the last three years.

David Jamieson: Revised bus patronage figures for the year 200102 for Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Midlands passenger transport authority areas were published by the Department on Thursday 3 April 2003. Previous estimates were published by the Department in A Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics GB: 2002 and in Regional Transport Statistics: 2002.
	The revisions follow a National Statistics Quality Review of the Department's bus, coach and light rail statistics and discussions held with staff in the passenger transport authorities about differences in their estimates of bus patronage and those produced by the Department. The full set of figures is as follows:
	
		Bus passenger journeys -- Million
		
			 Area 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Tyne and Wear 151 146 141 
			 West Yorkshire 180 189 181 
			 South Yorkshire 130 131 128 
			 Merseyside 149 142 (2)142 
			 Greater Manchester 199 204 (2)205 
			 West Midlands 353 353 (2)352 
		
	
	(2) Revised figure

Car Ringing (Wimbledon)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received on the arrest of DVLA employees based in Wimbledon in connection with alleged car ringing activities.

David Jamieson: On Thursday 30 January, four members of staff from DVLA's Wimbledon local office were arrested on charges of conspiracy to handle stolen vehicles and conspiracy to defraud.
	The arrests were the result of a joint DVLA and police investigation.
	The individuals concerned have been suspended by the agency, pending further police inquiries.

Central Line

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timescale is for the opening of the remaining stations on the Central Line.

David Jamieson: I am pleased to report that following the reintroduction of a service on the western section of the Central Line between Ealing Broadway and Marble Arch on Monday 24 March, London Underground began running a service from Loughton to Ealing Broadway through central London from 3 April. I expect a service to be running to all stations on the line by Easter.

Central Railways

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) report and (b) recommendations of the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the proposed Central Railway project.

David Jamieson: Ministers have not yet reached a decision on Central Railway's proposed hybrid Bill. We are considering whether and in what form to make available the SRA's advice, in line with our commitment to open government, bearing in mind that some of the information it contains may be commercially sensitive.

Chancery Lane Derailment

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the meetings that have taken place between Ministers in his Department and London Underground Ltd. to discuss the consequences of the derailment at Chancery Lane.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 17 March 2003, Official Report, column 537W.

Dartford Tunnel

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what plans the Government has to refurbish the Dartford Tunnel;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the condition of the Dartford Tunnel.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David York to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 7 April 2003
	Tim Matthews has been asked by David Jamieson to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the condition and refurbishment of the Dartford Tunnel. I am replying as Tim is currently away on Highway Agency business.
	The Tunnels at the Dartford Thurrock Crossing were opened in 1963 and 1980 and were constructed to the standards applicable at the time. Standards are constantly reviewed and improvements to the tunnels are carried out where it is considered appropriate and practical to do so, but the Tunnels at Dartford cannot meet all of the latest standards applicable throughout Europe.
	Both the tunnels at the Dartford Thurrock Crossing were recently refurbished. This work included the construction of new road decks. All improvement works identified by the regular inspection regime were carried out to ensure that the tunnels were in very good condition when the Dartford River Crossings concession ended a few days ago.
	The Highways Agency has plans to install an automatic fire detection system this year to supplement the 24-hour CCTV surveillance and manual fire alarm system already in place. Further improvement are being considered.
	If you would like further information about this matter, you may wish to contact Steve Ashley in the Agency's Dorking office on 10306 878254.

Mersey Tunnel

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the policing of the Mersey Tunnel, with special reference to the deaths of Darren Franey and Scott Veach.

David Jamieson: The Government are sorry to learn of the circumstances which led to the death of Darren Franey and Scott Veach.
	Responsibility for the policing of the Mersey Tunnels rests with Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority (Merseytravel), under provisions in the County of Merseyside Act 1980.
	We, along with colleagues at the Home Office, will give careful consideration to the reports and recommendations that have been produced following the investigation into this tragic incident by Merseyside police under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority and by the Coroner.

Mersey Tunnel

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on who sets the performance standards for the Mersey Tunnels Police Force; and what relation they have to the Police Complaints Authority.

David Jamieson: Responsibility for the policing of Mersey Tunnel rests with Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority (Merseytravel), under provisions in the County of Merseyside Act 1980.
	As Merseytravel is primarily responsible for the safe operation of the Mersey Tunnels, it falls on it to ensure that the law enforcement officers it appoints are trained to a standard that protects both the officers involved and users of the Tunnels and to provide such facilities necessary for the officers to carry out their duties in a safe and proper manner.
	The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has no remit over the Mersey Tunnels Police. As a non-Home Office force they fall outside the primary legislation of the Police Act 1996 and no subsequent agreement has been reached to bring them within the PCA's remit. However, the Tunnel police have an agreement with Merseyside police for the investigation of incidents involving Merseyside police vehicles within the jurisdiction of the Tunnel police. Merseyside police do fall within the remit of the PCA; therefore, any investigation undertaken by the Merseyside police can be supervised by the PCA.

Motorways

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what risks he has identified in (a) permanent removal and (b) variable removal of a hard shoulder on a motorway;
	(2)  what steps he will take to ensure the safety of motorists on motorways where there is a variable or permanent removal of the hard shoulder; and what estimate he has made of the likely cost.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 March 2003, Official Report, columns 61819W to the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell).

Rail Freight

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the role of rail freight in the UK freight market.

David Jamieson: The Government are committed to increasing rail freight's modal share of the freight market in line with its commitment to sustainable distribution. The Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan, published on 30 January, sets out its plans for achieving the increase in rail freight envisaged in the Government's 10 Year Plan for Transport.

Rail Funding

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) amount and (b) source of funding (i) paid, (ii) contracted and (iii) agreed to be paid by non Strategic Rail Authority sources, to supplement the Rail Passenger Partnership schemes set out on page 23 of the Strategic Rail Authority Annual Report 200102.

David Jamieson: The information is not readily available in precisely the form requested. Information about the total amount of support from non-Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) sources to supplement the Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) schemes set out on page 23 of the SRA's 200102 Annual Report is shown in the table below. The non-SRA funding element of RPP schemes often includes sponsorship from more than one source. Typically schemes include support from the local authorities and the relevant train operating company, and other sponsors to date have included (amongst others) Network Rail, the Countryside Agency, Regional Development Agencies, Community Rail Partnerships, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Executive.
	
		 million
		
			 Scheme SRA funding Funding from non-SRA sources 
		
		
			 Hexham-Carlisle: passenger information 99,000 29,000 
			 Heart of Wales additional Sunday services 68,886 7,000 
			 Taff Corridor: additional rolling stock 575,000 (3)0 
			 Brentford: service and station improvements 1,250,000 974,000 
			 Thornaby: improved station facilities 179,000 289,000 
			 Redruth: station improvements 95,000 116,000 
			 Tamar Valley: Sunday services 72,272 20,000 
			 Metro: additional rolling stock (Class 333s)   
			 ClitheroeBlackburn services 244,000 61,000 
			 CarmarthenMilford Haven: additional rolling stock 216,400 0 
			 Liskeard II Revised Bid (original approved bid withdrawn by sponsor and revised bid approved)   
			 Tees Valley: additional cycle parking 48,990 49,000 
			 Swanage: new services 6,821,000 9,844 
			 Southminster Branch Line: additional Sunday services 85,000 0 
			 Sudbury Branch Line: additional Winter Sunday services 80,000 0 
			 Beauly: station re-opening 99,340 120,000 
			 First Great Eastern: additional cycle parking 34,286 35,000 
			 Traintaxi: information database serving all stations ATOC (MML) 24,000 24,000 
			 Saltash: station improvements 95,000 11,000 
			 WillesdenClapham: additional Sunday services 65,000 56,000 
			 Ludlow: ticket office 89,000 11,000 
			 First North Western: additional rolling stock (Class 142s) 2,657,000 0 
			 Cross City Line (Birmingham): higher frequency of trains 3,455,000 1,018 
			 TrutoFalmouth: all year Sunday service 64,000 67,000 
			 Bromsgrove: station improvements 180,000 70,000 
			 Robin Hood Line (Nottingham): additional train services 234,000 70,000 
			 SmartCard: integrated transport ATOC (Vergin CrossCountry) 970,000 1,305,000 
			 MatlockDerby: feasibility study 190,000 610,000 
			 Kent station: additional cycle parking 118,000 102,000 
			 Penzance interchange: station improvements 250,000 519,000 
			 ExeterBarnstaple: additional services 144,000 68,000 
			 Cardiff Valley Lines: service strengthening 738,000 0 
			 Doncaster: station improvements Now to be funded through an alternative mechanism  
			 Royal Welsh Show services 19,661 6,000 
		
	
	(3) References to 0 non-SRA sponsorship in this table do not take into account benefits in kind (e.g. in terms of staff resources) provided by the relevant train operating company to enable the scheme to operate.

Rail Funding

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the total level of Rail Passenger Partnership funding to be paid by the Strategic Rail Authority during the financial year 200304, with particular reference to the nature of the schemes to which any such funding would be directed.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA's) budget for Rail Passenger Partnership schemes in 200304 is 20 million of which 16.3 million is currently committed. Funding is directed to the provision of new or enhanced local and regional rail services that cannot be justified on financial grounds alone but which contribute to the Government's wider objectives for rail, including modal shift and integration with other modes.

Rail Funding

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will list the (a) amount and (b) source of funding (i) paid, (ii) contracted and (iii) agreed to be paid by non Strategic Rail Authority sources to supplement Rail Passenger Partnership Scheme applications of 200203 which have been (A) approved, (B) deferred and (C) cancelled;
	(2)  if he will list the (a) location, (b) nature of the schemes, (c) amount of funding requested and (d) current stage of approval of Rail Passenger Partnership applications made to the Strategic Rail Authority in 200203, broken down into those (i) rejected, (ii) which reached pre-qualified status and (iii) which have had funding approved.

David Jamieson: The information cannot readily be provided in precisely the form requested. The table as follows sets out details of RPP scheme applications in 200203, their current status and the amount of SRA and non-SRA support involved in the case of schemes that have been approved. The level of funding for schemes prior to approval stage is liable tochange.
	Schemes may be deferred, cancelled or rejected for a number of reasons, such as failure to meet SRA's value for money and affordability criteria, failure to attract adequate sponsorship from non-SRA sources, and withdrawal of the application by the sponsor.
	
		RPP schemes 2002003 --  million
		
			 Scheme Status of scheme SRA funding for approved schemes Non-SRA funding for approved schemes 
		
		
			 West Anglia CIS (customer information system) Rejected   
			 Doncaster Scheme now being funded through alternative mechanism   
			 Project Cymru Approved 2,471,000 265,000 
			 Markinch Interchange Rejected   
			 Coleshill Interchange Rejected   
			 Weardale Pre-qualified   
			 Exeter Gateway (St. Davids) Pre-qualified   
			 Greenhithe Pre-qulified   
			 Dartford Pre-qualified   
			 Cheshunt Bay Pre-qualified   
			 Arriva Trains Northern capacity and reliability Approved 4,102,077 1,000 
			 Conwy Valley Line Rejected   
			 West Midland CIS Pre-qualified   
			 Ferensway Interchange Pre-qualified   
			 Hull Royal Infirmary Rail Halt Rejected   
			 Salford Central Pre-qualified   
			 Heart of Wales2, Winter Sundays. (Original approved bid withdrawn by sponsor and re-submitted) Decision pending   
			 Bury St. Edmunds Approved 223,4000 350,000 
			 Burnley Approved 259,000 240,000 
			 Stansted Rejected   
			 Liskeard II Revised Bid Approved 248,000 352,000 
			 Macclesfield Approved 250,000 535,000 
			 Chorley Approved 137,000 130,000 
			 Plymouth Approved 136,000 132,000 
			 Downham Market Access Approved 229,000 130,000 
			 Tarka Line (Exeter to Barnstaple) Approved 144,000 223,000 
			 Exeter to Exmouth (Phase 1) Deferred   
			 Valley Lines dedicated bus service Approved 41,000 (4)0 
			 Bristol services Approved 139,000 0 
			 Littleport Approved 77,600 135,000 
			 Plus Bus Journey Solutions Deferred   
			 Devon and Cornwall Approved 234,000 0 
			 Glasshoughton Approved 250,000 1,610 
			 Ramsgate Approved 85,000 100,000 
			 Bedford Rejected   
			 Southminster Rejected   
			 Valley Lines Rejected   
			 First Great Eastern Cycle Parking Approved 98,000 69,000 
			 Manchester to Clitheroe Rejected   
			 Halesworth Rejected   
			 King's Cross Faade Rejected   
			 Horwich Parkway Approved 100,000 115k 
			 Watlington Rejected   
			 Cheshunt Bus/Rail Integration Rejected   
			 Hastings Rejected   
			 Wherry Line Rejected   
			 Thameslink Cycle Approved 54,000 55k 
			 Trowbridge Approved 13,000 10k 
			 Taunton Deferred   
			 Bristol Temple Meads Deferred   
			 Chippenham Interchange Decision pending   
			 London Crosslink2 (now Phase 12) Deferred   
			 Anglia Locals2 (Phase 12) Pre-qualified/Rejected   
			 Filton Abbey Wood Approved 1,268,000 0 
			 Ebbw Vale Pre-qualified (Scheme now being funded by the National Assembly for Wales)   
			 Paddington vehicular access Pre qualified-Rejected   
			 Sheffield Approved (pre qualified 200102) 163,000 0 
			 Matlock Buxton Approved (pre qualifed (200102) 190,000 610,000 
			 West London Line Approved 18,000 0 
			 Probus-Burngullow Pre-qualified 700k  
		
	
	(4) References to 0 non-SRA sponsorship do not take into account benefits in kind (e.g. in terms of staff resources) provided by the relevant train operating company to enable the scheme to operate.

Rail Schemes

Mr. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme applications received by the Strategic Rail Authority in (a) 200001 and (b) 200102 classified as (i) medium and (ii) major applications which received pre-qualified status; and what the total funding requested was in each case.

David Jamieson: Information on the medium (under 5 million) and major (over 5 million) Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) scheme applications in 200001 and 200102 which received pre-qualification status is set out in the table. Information on the level of SRA funding is shown where the scheme has proceeded to approval. The level of funding for schemes prior to appraisal is liable to change. In January 2002 the SRA introduced a fast track system for approving bids under 250,000. Fast track schemes bypass the pre-qualification stage, and proceed directly either to approval or rejection.
	
		RPP schemes in 200001 and 200102
		
			 SRA support for approved schemes () 
		
		
			 Pre-qualified applications over 5 million 
			 200001  
			 Anglia Service Improvement 10,041,163 
			 Leamside Line  
			 Allerton Interchange  
			 South Notts Rail Network  
			 Sheffield Station 12,800,000 
			 Keswick to Penrith(5)  
			 Stratford Station  
			   
			 200102  
			 SheffieldBarnsley Leeds(5)  
			 Braintree Branch Line  
			 Windermere Branch Line Upgrade(5)  
			 Newcastle Central StationInterchange(5)  
			 TruroFalmouth2 Branch Line  
			 Anglia Locals2 (Phase 1  2)  
			 ProbusBurngullow  
			   
			 Pre-qualified applications under 5 million 
			 200001  
			 Thornaby  
			 Leeds to Windermere  
			 Barry Island  
			 Ashington, Blythe  Tyne  
			 Ilkeston  
			 Taff Corridor  
			 Brentford Station  
			 Birmingham-Stratford on Avon Semi-Fast  
			 Durham Coast LinePhase 2  
			 Camberwell Station  
			 Tyne-Tees Express  
			 WrexhamBidston  
			 Bristol Area Line Frequency  
			 Finsbury Park Central Area Project  
			 Larkhall to Milngavie (RPP bid withdrawn by sponsor)  
			   
			 200102  
			 SheffieldBarnsley Leeds(5)  
			 Braintree Branch Line  
			 Windermere Branch Line Upgrade(5)  
			 Newcastle Central StationInterchange(5)  
			 TruroFalmouth2 Branch Line  
			 Anglia Locals2 (Phase 1  2)  
			 ProbusBurngullow  
			   
			 Pre-qualified applications under 5 million 
			 200001  
			 Thornaby  
			 Leeds to Windermere  
			 Barry Island  
			 Ashington, Blythe  Tyne  
			 Ilkeston  
			 Taff Corridor  
			 Brentford Station  
			 Birmingham-Stratford on Avon Semi-Fast  
			 Durham Coast LinePhase 2  
			 Camberwell Station  
			 Tyne-Tees Express  
			 WrexhamBidston  
			 Bristol Area Line Frequency  
			 Finsbury Park Central Area Project  
			 Larkhall to Milngavie (RPP bid withdrawn by sponsor)  
			   
			 200102  
			 Coast to Coast Sleeper Services(5)  
			 Capacity Enhancements 142's (First North Western) 2,657,000 
			 Metrotrain/Additional Class 333 Vehicles (Arriva Trains Northern) 2,859,200 
			 CarmarthenMilford Haven 216,400 
			 MK11 Trains for Special Events (Wales  Borders)  
			 Clyst Hayes Station(5)  
			 Diss Station Interchange  
			 AirdrieBathgate Rail-Bus Link  
			 Frankley Extension  
			 Cumbria Coast Line  
			 Real Time Train Information (Virgin/Midland Main Line) 2,013,000 
			 Cross City Line (Central Trains) 2,328,231 
			 Walsall  Stourbridge  
			 Coventry to Wolverhampton  
			 SmartcardATOC 970,000 
			 Kempston Station  
			 Valley Lines Strengthening 738,000 
			 South Hants Crossrail (Chandlers Ford) 3,341,023 
			 Edinburgh Park Station 1,962,000 
			 Cardiff- Aberdare 1,236,000 
			 Great Northern Customer Information System  
			 Sheffield Station Feasibility Study 163,000 
			 MatlockBuxton 190,000 
		
	
	(5) Bids rejected.

Railways

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the proposal submitted to him by London Regional Metro for an east-west rail link for London; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department is continuing to discuss these proposals with London Regional Metro.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railway lines have had ETCS installed in the last 10 years.

David Jamieson: Within the UK there is no operational railway line where the European Train Control System (ETCS) has been installed.

River Crossings

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether income from the M25 Dartford river crossings will be used to fund (a) the refurbishment of the (i) Blackwall and (ii) Rotherhithe tunnels and (b) a new Thames river crossing.

David Jamieson: The Dartford net income forms part of the funding included in our 10-year transport plan. It is too early to be able to identify projects which will illustrate the benefits this additional source of funding has helped deliver.

Road Safety

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on accepting road safety research conducted overseas as being valid for the United Kingdom; and whether this policy is applied uniformly throughout his Department.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 13 March 2003, Official Report, column 359W, to the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell).

Seafarers

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what pay safeguards UK seafarers have on UK registered ships outside UK waters.

David Jamieson: Subject to the provisions of the National Minimum Wage, rates of pay are matters for negotiation between employers and employees.
	The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 provides that mariners employed on a UK registered ship are covered by the Act unless their employment is wholly outside the UK, or they are not ordinarily resident in the UK.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are employed by his Department.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 3 April 2003, Official Report, column 780W.

Telecommunication Masts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to Network Rail about the erection of telecommunication masts on railway land in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

David Jamieson: None. As a railway undertaker, Network Rail has permitted development rights for the erection of telecommunication masts on its operational land, required in connection with the movement of traffic by rail.

Transport 2000 Speech

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place a copy of the speech made by the Minister to Transport 2000 on 27 March in the Library.

David Jamieson: A speech text is not available. I spoke from notes.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

David Jamieson: The number of staff in my Department and Agencies who receive paid leave to undertake union duties (excluding health and safety duties) are as follows:
	However, the majority are part-time representatives: 285.
	The amount of days allocated in 2002: 5307.5.
	The cost to public funds in 2002: 492,732.22

Walking

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the National Walking Strategy for England; and what timetable he has set for its (a) public consultation and (b) publication.

David Jamieson: We hope to consult on a strategy to encourage walking in the next few months.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Convention on the Future of Europe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from ministerial colleagues on areas of concern to their Departments in respect of the Convention on the Future of Europe.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is working closely with all his ministerial colleagues in co-ordinating the UK Government's approach on all aspects on the convention.

Departmental Running Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

Jack Straw: As of 27 March, the cost in cash terms of running the six ministerial private offices for the 200203 financial year, amounted to 3,132,178. This is made up of 2,189,178 in running cost, and 943,000 in salary.
	The final total for this financial year will increase slightly once the data from all of our posts overseas have been entered on to our Financial Management System.
	The figures for the FCO in total will be available in the Departmental Report, which will be issued later in the year.

European Working Groups

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

Denis MacShane: The Government have long been committed to greater openness in the EU institutions. This was a key theme of the UK Presidencies in 1992 and 1998. Making it easier to gain access to non-sensitive documents is crucial to this. The Government welcome Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. As a result, more documents are released to the public, while genuinely sensitive documents are given the protection they need.
	Much of the council's work takes place in preparatory bodies, including working groups.
	Accountability and transparency of council business to Parliament are ensured by the scrutiny process, to which the Government are also firmly committed.
	We strongly supported the measures agreed at the Seville European Council to make the council more open when in legislating mode. We remain committed to increasing transparency. The Future of Europe Convention is also looking at ways to make the EU more open.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions there have been between his Department and the Ministry of Defence regarding the commemoration of 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar in 2004.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 12 March 2003, Official Report, column 291W.

Ivory Coast

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the recruitment by Northbridge Services Group of mercenaries to operate in the Ivory Coast; and if he will make a statement on the activities of this company in connection with the Ivory Coast.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on the Northbridge Services Group on 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 52WS.

Latin America

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to Governments of Latin American countries about the problems experienced by street children; and what responses he has received.

Bill Rammell: The rights of children worldwide are a central part of our human rights policy. The UK ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991. We support its full implementation by all governments. We regularly raise our concerns about street children bilaterally and with our EU Partners. We are backing a number of practical projects in the region to improve respect for and protection of children's rights.

PFI Schemes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

Bill Rammell: The FCO has no private finance initiative schemes coming into operation in 2003.

Seal Population

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what progress has been made since representations by his Department in February 1999 to the Canadian Government in ensuring that the numbers of seals killed each year does not threaten the sustainability of the species;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the annual Canadian slaughter of seal pups on the wild population; whether he has raised this issue with the Canadian authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: No formal representations have been made since February 1999 but the FCO has been monitoring the situation and has made the Canadian Government aware of our concerns. Any seal cull should be sustainable and based on the precautionary approach. The Canadian Government has recently announced their Seal Management Plan for 20032005 where quotas have been increased compared to previous years. The plan will be available to the public and government officials will assess the data on which the new quotas are based. After such an assessment has been carried out the FCO will review the situation.

Security Council Resolutions

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Security Council resolutions (a) which have been vetoed by the United States in the last 30 years and (b) regarding Israel and the Occupied Territories which were supported by Her Majesty's Government but vetoed by the United States; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is as follows:
	
		(a) UN Security Council Resolutions vetoed by the United States
		
			  Information 
		
		
			 2002  
			 20 December Killing by Israeli forces of UN employees in Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 30 June Renewal of UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia, acting under Ch.VII 
			   
			 2001  
			 14 December Israeli forces withdrawal from Palestinian-controlled territory and condemning acts of terror against civilians 
			 27 March Establishment of UN observer force to protect Palestinian civilians 
			   
			 1997  
			 21 March Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 7 March Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1995  
			 17 May Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1990  
			 31 May Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 17 January Violation of Diplomatic immunities of Nicaraguan ambassador's residence in Panama 
			 1989  
			 23 December Invasion of Panama 
			 7 November Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 9 June Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 17 February Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 11 January Shooting down of Libyan aircraft 
			   
			 1988  
			 14 December Israeli raid on Lebanon 
			 10 May Israeli invasion of Southern Lebanon 
			 15 April Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 8 March Sanctions against South Africa, acting under Ch.VII 
			 1 February Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 18 January Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			   
			 1987  
			 9 April Question of Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			 20 February South Africa, acting under Ch.VII 
			   
			 1986  
			 28 October Nicaragua and ICJ judgment 
			 31July Nicaragua and ICJ judgment 
			 18 June South African attacks on Angola 
			 23 May South African raids into Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe 
			 21 April US raid on Libya 
			 6 February Israeli interception and detention of Libyan civilian aircraft 
			 30 January Provocative acts in relation to Al-Aqsa Mosque 
			 17 January Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			   
			 1985  
			 15 November Question of Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			 13 September Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 26 July Question of South Africa, acting under Ch.VII 
			 10 May Economic sanctions against Nicaragua 
			 10 May Economic sanctions against Nicaragua 
			 10 May Economic sanctions against Nicaragua 
			 12 March Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			   
			 1984  
			 6 September Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			 4 April Mining of Nicaraguan ports 
			   
			 1983  
			 27 October US invasion of Grenada 
			 2 August Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1982  
			 6 August Israeli invasion of Lebanon 
			 26 June Israeli invasion of Lebanon 
			 8 June Israeli invasion of Lebanon 
			 4 June Falklands Question 
			 20 April Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 2 April Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 2 April Nicaragua: US military exercises with Honduras 
			 20 January Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, acting under Ch.VII 
			   
			 1981  
			 31 August South African incursion into Angola, acting under Ch.VII 
			 30 April Question of Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			 30 April Question of Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			 30 April Question of Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			 30 April Question of Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			   
			 1980  
			 30 April Question of exercise by Palestinian people of their inalienable rights 
			   
			 1977  
			 31 October Question of South Africa 
			 31 October Question of South Africa, acting under Ch.VII 
			 31 October Question of South Africa, acting under Ch.VII 
			 1976  
			 15 November Application for membership for Socialist Republic of Vietnam 
			 19 October Situation in Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			 29 June Question of the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people 
			 23 June Application for membership for Angola 
			 25 March Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 25 January Middle East including Palestine question 
			   
			 1975  
			 8 December Situation in the Middle East 
			 30 September Application for membership for Democratic Republic of Vietnam 
			 30 September Application for membership for Republic of South Vietnam 
			 11 August Application for membership for Democratic Republic of Vietnam 
			 11 August Application for membership for Republic of South Vietnam 
			 6 June Situation in Namibia, acting under Ch.VII 
			   
			 1974  
			 30 October Relationship between UN and South Africa 
			   
			 1973  
			 26 July Middle East 
			 22 May Rhodesia 
			 21 March Panama Canal 
			   
			 1972  
			 10 September Middle East 
			   
			 1970  
			 17 March Rhodesia, acting under Ch.VII 
		
	
	
		(b) US vetoed Resolutions on Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories which were supported by the UK
		
			  Information 
		
		
			 2002  
			 20 December Killing by Israeli forces of UN employees in Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1997  
			 21 March Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 7 March Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1995  
			 17 May Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1990  
			 31 May Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 7 November Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 9 June Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 17 February Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1988  
			 15 April Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 1 February Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1986  
			 30 January Provocative acts in relation to Al-Aqsa Mosque 
			   
			 1983  
			 2 August Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1982  
			 20 April Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 2 April Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			 25 March Occupied Palestinian Territories 
			   
			 1975  
			 8 December Situation in the Middle East 
			   
			 1973  
			 26 July Middle East 
			   
			 1972  
			 10 September Middle East 
		
	
	The Government believes that the veto should be used with restraint, and in a manner consistent with the principles of the UN Charter.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will carry out an urgent investigation into cases of torture in the Sudan.

Bill Rammell: We are concerned about torture in Sudan. We part-fund the work of the Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) which monitors incidences. SOAT'S annual report states that incidences of torture have decreased across the population as a whole but that the practice continues to be used against the people of Darfur, and in particular students.
	The Sudanese government has signed the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Our Embassy in Khartoum regularly lobbies the Government of Sudan to ratify the Convention.

Tasmania

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark Tasmania's bicentenary.

Bill Rammell: I discussed UK involvement in the celebrations of Tasmania's bicentenary with the Premier of Tasmania, Jim Bacon, during his visit to the UK in January this year. We have taken no decision at this stage on marking the bicentenary in 2004.

Tel Aviv Airport

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning allegations of intrusive searches and harassment of UK citizens at Tel Aviv airport.

Mike O'Brien: We have not received formal representations about the treatment of British citizens at Tel Aviv airport. But British officials visiting Israel on official business have been subjected to stringent security checks on arrival at Tel Aviv; and our embassy in Tel Aviv is aware of British citizens, including at least one Member of Parliament, who have been detained at the airport for detailed questioning.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Referred Workers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people are listed on the Department's List 99 of referred workers.

David Miliband: There are currently 3,139 people on the list of people whose employment is barred or restricted by the Secretary of State for Employment and Skills (List 99).

Award Schemes

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the award schemes in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 promoted by the Department; what their scope was; when the relevant participating organisations are scheduled to be sent results; and whether other parties will be given notification of the results at the same time.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Degrees

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the completion rate for degrees was in each academic year since 1997;
	(2)  what the completion rate was for students from (a) I Professional, (b) II Intermediate, (c) IIIN Skilled Non-Manual, (d) IIIM Skilled Manual, (e) IV Semi-skilled Manual, (f) V Unskilled and (g) unknown socio-economic backgrounds at universities in England in each academic year since 1997;
	(3)  what the (a) initial entry rate, (b) drop-out rate and (c) participation rate for higher education institutions in England was in each academic year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: Information on completion and non-completion rates of HE students is published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in Performance Indicators in Higher Education (HE). The latest available data are shown in the first table as follows. HEFCE do not calculate these figures by social class. Figures published in 2002 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.
	The second table as follows shows the latest available figures for the Initial Entry Rate (IER) and Age Participation Index (API). Historically, the API has been the standard measure of participation in HE; the IER has been developed recently to monitor progress towards the Government's goal of 50 per cent. participation in HE by 2010. The IER differs from the API in both coverage and method of calculation. The API calculates the proportion of UK domiciled students who enter full-time HE by the age of 20; the IER calculates the proportion of English domiciled students who enter full or part-time HE courses, lasting at least one year, by the age of 30. The API is expressed as a percentage of the averaged 18 to 19-year-old population; the IER sums the percentages of each single year of the 1830 age group.
	
		Projected learning outcomesfull-time students starting first degree courses in HE institutions in the UK -- Percentage
		
			  Projected outcomes(6) 
			 Students starting in: Obtained degree Obtained no qualification Other(7) 
		
		
			 199697 80 18 2 
			 199798 81 17 2 
			 199899 81 17 2 
			 19992000 81 17 2 
		
	
	(6) The projected outcomes are calculated on the assumption that the progression paths of new entrants will be the same as those for students currently in the system.
	(7) Includes students who obtain undergraduate qualifications other than a degree (eg an HND).
	
		The Age Participation Index (API) and Initial Entry Rate (IER) -- Percentage
		
			  API(8) IER(9) 
		
		
			 Actual   
			 199798 33 n/a 
			 199899 31 n/a 
			 19992000 32 41 
			 200001 33 42 
			
			 Estimated   
			 200102 3436 43 
		
	
	(8) The API is defined as the number of young (under 21) UK domiciled initial entrants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses, expressed as a percentage of the averaged 18 to 19-year-old population.
	(9) The IER is the number of English domiciled initial entrants who enter full or part-time HE courses, lasting at least one year, by the age of 30, expressed as a percentage of the relevant 1830 age group.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Stephen Twigg: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Education Maintenance Allowance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the outcome was of the evaluation of the Education Maintenance Allowance pilot scheme.

Margaret Hodge: An independent evaluation of EMA's has been taking place since 1999. The evaluation has tested the effectiveness of the scheme in increasing participation. Evidence from the second year of the pilots, which was published in July 2002, shows that EMAs have increased the number of eligible young people in full time education in year 12 in pilot areas by 5.9 percentage points compared to the local authority areas without EMAs. The EMA scheme will be available from September 2004 across the whole of England. The evaluation is continuing. Reports on implementation and on vulnerable young people were published in March 2003. Forthcoming reports include a qualitative report to be published later this month and the 3rd year quantitative report due in the autumn.

Higher Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cash value is of loans granted to higher education students by the Student Loans Company in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The number and value of loans paid to higher education students by the Student Loans Company in each academic year since 199697 are shown in the table:
	
		Student support provision: academic year 199697 to 200102 (provisional)(10)
		
			  Student loans (United Kingdom)(11) 
			 Academic year Number of loans (thousand)(12) Value of loans ( million) 
		
		
			 199697 589.6 877.2 
			 199798 615.1 941.0 
			 199899 of which: 659.5 1,233.5 
			 Student Support Scheme Students(13) 275.9 557.3 
			 Mandatory Scheme Students(14) 443.6 676.2 
			 19992000 of which: 699.7 1,795.4 
			 Student Support Scheme Students(13) 456.5 7,439.2 
			 Mandatory Scheme Students(14) 243.2 356.3 
			 200001 of which: 759.9 2,203.7 
			 Student Support Scheme Students(13) 666.4 2,068.4 
			 Mandatory Scheme Students(14) 93.5 735.3 
			 200102 (provisional) of which: 809.3 2,485.2 
			 Student Support Scheme Students(13) 786.0 2,450.7 
			 Mandatory Scheme Students(14) 23.4 35.0 
		
	
	(10) New student support arrangements were introduced from academic year 199899. New students in 199899 (apart from certain specified exceptions) received support for maintenance expenditure through means-tested grants (comprising about a quarter of the support available) and non income-assessed student loans (comprising about three quarters of the support available). From 19992000 students who entered higher education after 199899 received support for maintenance expenditure through loans, of which approximately three quarters of the value was non income-assessed. Loans made under these arrangements are repayable on an income contingent basis. The ratio of support for mandatory award holders, i.e. those who entered higher education up to 199798, was roughly 50 per cent. means-tested grant and 50 per cent. non means-tested loan repayable on a mortgage style basis.
	(11) Student loans are available to eligible students normally domiciled in the United Kingdom on full-time undergraduate HE courses (and students on full-time and part-time postgraduate course of initial teacher training).
	(12) Refers to loans advanced in the target year only, which include those to students in their first, second, third and any subsequent year of their course. Excludes hardship loans and 5,700 (200001) and an estimated 7,700 (200102) fixed rate loans of 500 for part-time students introduced in September 2000.
	(13) Students starting their course from September 1998 under the new arrangements.
	(14) Students who entered higher education up to 199798 and those who entered in 199899 under the existing arrangements.
	Source
	The Student Loans Company

Higher Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his latest estimate is of (a) the annual cost to public funds of increasing participation in higher education to 50 per cent. over the next five years and (b) the cost of the higher education system in 200203; and what assumptions he has made in drawing up these estimates.

Margaret Hodge: The Spending review settlement for higher education in England for the years 200203 to 200506 is set out in the table on page 19 of the White Paper 'The future of higher education' (Cm 5735). That table shows a 31per cent. increase in expenditure between those two years, an element of which accounts for the increase in student numbers over that period. The increase in participation towards 50 per cent. of those aged 1830, will come mainly through two-year work-focussed foundation degrees.
	The cost of higher education per student varies according to the subject, type and length of their course. The overall costs of increasing student numbers beyond 200506 will therefore depend on their pattern of study.

Higher Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his latest estimate is of the capital value of the higher education estate; and what proportion he estimates was paid for by public funds.

Margaret Hodge: Recent studies have estimated the insurance value of the higher education estate to be some 31 billion. The estimated value of the equipment and other contents of the buildings are estimated to be a further 8 billion. Producing an estimate of the proportion of the estate that has been purchased from public funds could be done only at disproportionate cost.

League Tables

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will assess the value of league tables for GCSE and A level results.

David Miliband: Performance tables provide an accessible source of information on the performance of schools. They form part of the accountability framework for schools and colleges. They help focus the debate on standards through the provision of hard information on achievements, thus strengthening the accountability of schools, colleges and LEAs.
	Parents and the wider community have a right to see the information published in the tables and challenge their schools accordingly.

Literacy/Numeracy

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adults are studying (a) basic literacy and (b) basic numeracy in further education colleges; and what proportion this represents of the total studying these subjects.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 27 March 2003
	Information on the number of literacy and numeracy learning opportunities being undertaken by adults on LSC-funded further education provision is presented in the table as follows. For the purposes of basic skills and the Skills for Life Strategy, we define adults as those aged 16 and over. The information below accounts for the majority of publicly-funded literacy and numeracy provision. It is not possible to say what proportion this represents of all literacy and numeracy provision as this level of detail is not available for learners funded through other routes.
	
		Literacy and numeracy learning opportunities being undertaken by adults on LSC-funded further education provision (15),(16),(17)1 April 2001 to 31 July 2002
		
			  1 April 2001 to31 July 2001 1 August 2001 to31 July 2002 Total1 April 2001 to 31 July 2002 
			  16 to 18 19+ 16 to 18 19+ 16 to 18 19+ Total 
		
		
			 (a) Literacy 
			 Basic Skills: Literacy 11,700 75,900 12,200 107,900 23,900 183,900 207,700 
			 Key Skills: Communication 102,600 15,900 125,100 16,800 227,700 32,700 260,400 
			 GCSE English 25,200 11,400 30,500 13,800 55,700 25,200 80,900 
			 Total(18) 139,500 103,500 167,800 138,500 307,300 241,700 549,000 
			 (b) Numeracy 
			 Basic Skills: Numeracy 14,100 31,100 24,100 60,500 38,200 91,600 129,800 
			 Key Skills: Application of Number 107,200 15,600 130,700 17,600 237,900 33,200 271,100 
			 GCSE Maths 29,900 16,300 35,600 19,500 65,500 35,800 101,300 
			 Total(18) 151,200 63,000 190,400 97,600 341,600 160,600 502,200 
		
	
	(15) These figures are estimates based on the LSC's individualised Student Records data.
	(16) Only covers LSD funded provision, this detailed enrolment profile is not available for other types of provision.
	(17) Adults enrolled on both literacy and numeracy learning opportunities will be counted under both categories. There may be some double counting where an adult has enrolled on more than one basic literacy or numeracy course in this period.
	(18) Excludes those learning opportunities not assigned to specific subjects.

Ministerial Office Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

Stephen Twigg: Expenditure for the financial year 200102 is set out in the following table.
	
		 million
		
			  200102 
		
		
			 (a) Ministers' private offices  
			 Total 2.1 
			 Of which:  
			 Staff 1.3 
			   
			 (b) Department 218.9 
		
	
	Note:
	The figure at (b) reflects net administrative outturn including Sure Start and Children's Fund.
	Expenditure figures for Departmental running costs for 200203 will be published shortly in the Department's Appropriation and Resource Accounts.

Neighbourhood Renewal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost is in 200203 of the implications of recommendations in the Social Exclusion Unit's report on neighbourhood renewal.

Margaret Hodge: DfES is the lead Department for 16 of the commitments under the Government's National Strategy Action Plan for neighbourhood renewal. In addition to these commitments, the implications of the neighbourhood renewal strategy have an impact across a wide range of the Department's programmes, which are increasingly geared towards closing the gap between the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest, in terms of educational achievement and skills. This means that, of the 23 billion total planned programme spend in 200203, progressively more than before is being spent on deprived neighbourhoods.

Private Finance Initiative

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many bids were received under the recent PFI Capital bid.

David Miliband: holding answer 4 April 2003
	Fifty-six bids were submitted by Local Education Authorities with a total value in excess of 4 billion. Details of the projects prioritised can be found in the Press Notice 2003/0055 issued by the Department on 31 March, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Pupils (Leeds)

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average amount spent per pupil in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Leeds was in each year since 1996.

David Miliband: holding answer 1 April 2003
	The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		Leeds Local Education AuthorityAverage expenditure per pupil -- 
		
			 Year Pre-primary/primary Secondary 
		
		
			 199596 2,000 2,650 
			 199697 2,020 2,630 
			 199798 1,870 2,600 
			 199899 2,070 2,670 
			 19992000 2,250 2,750 
			 200001 2,050 2,560 
			 200102 2,620 3,300 
		
	
	Notes
	1. Net Institutional Expenditure (NIE) includes all school-recurrent funding, including teaching staff and non-teaching staff salaries, school premises costs, equipment and supplies, and unspent balances held by schools at the year end. Excludes spending on special schools, central administration and support services such as transport and school meals as well as capital expenditure.
	2. Real Terms figures are adjusted to 200102 levels using March 2003 GDP deflators.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	4. 199596 to 199899 data were drawn from the education Revenue Outturn statements submitted to the Department of Transport, outturn statements which LEAs submitted to the DfES.
	5. Pupil data were drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Specialist Schools

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what effect he estimates specialist schools have had on the increase in secondary school students receiving five GCSE passes or more over the last five years.

David Miliband: Research carried out by Professor David Jesson (University of York) shows that the performance of each cohort of specialist schools and City Technology Colleges (from 19942001) has improved more than non-specialist schools at the time, with the exception of the 1996 and 1997 cohorts, as in the following table. This research excluded grammar schools, which, however, form a very similar percentage of both specialist schools and non-specialist schools.
	
		PQ 106511: Comparison of rates of improvement for specialist schools by year of entry into the Specialist Schools Programmepercentage 5+ A*-C grades at GCSE
		
			  1994 (%) 1995 (%) 1996 (%) 1997 (%) 1998 (%) 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) Gain versus base year 
		
		
			 Class of 1994 (50 schools) 4065 +25 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,948 schools) Est. 3648 +12 
			 Class of 1995 (41 schools)  44   59 +15 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,907 schools)  37   48 +11 
			 Class of 1996 (62 schools)   50  59 +9 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,845 schools)   38  48 +10 
			 Class of 1997 (72 schools)49 57 +8 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,773 schools)39 48 +9 
			 Class of 1998 (82 schools) 4553 +8 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,691 schools) 4247 +5 
			 Class of 1999 (76 schools)  47   52 +5 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,615 schools)  44   47 +3 
			 Class of 2000 (127 schools)   47  52 +5 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,488 schools)   44  47 +3 
			 Class of 2001 (146 schools)46 49 +3 
			 All other comprehensives and moderns (2,342 schools)45 47 +2 
			 All 656 non-selective schools designated by September 2001 54  
			 All non-specialist comprehensives and moderns (2,342) 47  
		
	
	Notes
	1. Examination figures are taken from DfES national performance data and Ofsted PANDA Annex.
	2. The results include those of the 15 City Technology Colleges.
	3. The results exclude grammar schools and special schools.
	Source:
	Educational outcomes and value added by specialist schools2002 analysis Professor David Jesson, April 2003.

Staff Travel

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of travel by train by staff in his Department in 2002.

Stephen Twigg: The cost of travel by train by staff within my Department in 2002 was approximately 5 million. Departmental staff have a responsibility to give due consideration to cost when planning any official travel and extensive guidance is provided on how to get the best out of official travel. This guidance covers items such as method of travel, environmental impact and effective use of time.

Standards Fund

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) local education authorities and (b) schools were in receipt of the maximum entitlement under the standards fund in 200203.

David Miliband: holding answer 4 April 2003
	The Standards Fund is a programme of Government grants to local education authorities to support a range of national education priorities, such as the national literacy and numeracy strategies, support for Specialist Schools, measures to raise the level of achievement of pupils from ethnic minorities, the Excellence in Cities initiative and capital projects. The grant is paid to local education authorities and most is then devolved to schools. Funding is distributed according to the requirements of each grant and there is no maximum entitlement. A local education authority will not necessarily receive an allocation for every Standards Fund priority. For example, not all authorities are part of the Excellence in Cities initiative, which is designed to raise performance through a targeted programme addressing the educational problems of our major cities.
	The following table gives the total grant allocated to the London education authorities for the 200203 Standards Fund programme, showing the split between recurrent and capital grant.
	
		200203 standards fund grant allocated to London education authorities -- 
		
			 Local education authority Revenue grant Capital grant Total grant 
		
		
			 Barking 9,139,219 11,320,167 20,459,386 
			 Barnet 9,831,950 6,364,646 16,196,596 
			 Bexley 6,548,557 5,478,844 12,027,401 
			 Brent 12,254,901 5,297,419 17,552,320 
			 Bromley 7,970,161 6,288,876 14,259,037 
			 Camden 11,769,858 3,366,083 15,135,941 
			 Corporation of London 232,638 140,495 373,132 
			 Croydon 11,031,930 6,064,810 17,096,740 
			 Baling 12,836,244 6,432,633 19,268,877 
			 Enfield 13,355,641 9,230,884 22,586,526 
			 Greenwich 15,794,953 9,663,911 25,458,865 
			 Hackney 14,427,947 7,860,657 22,288,604 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 9,697,678 2,866,870 12,564,548 
			 Haringey 15,745,570 6,815,522 22,561,093 
			 Harrow 5,715,266 4,130,761 9,846,028 
			 Havering 6,109,974 5,692,216 11,802,190 
			 Hillingdon 8,218,097 7,255,036 15,473,133 
			 Hounslow 11,152,515 5,923,770 17,076,285 
			 Islington 13,058,206 3,751,636 16,809,841 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 6,797,691 1,670,060 8,467,751 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 4,375,605 5,614,948 9,990,553 
			 Lambeth 13,553,014 5,366,334 18,919,348 
			 Lewisham 15,825,426 7,361,924 23,187,349 
			 Merton 5,263,909 3,703,518 8,967,428 
			 Newham 20,916,362 7,799,005 28,715,367 
			 Redbridge 8,351,069 5,623,887 13,974,956 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 3,688,102 2,872,799 6,560,901 
			 Southwark 16,514,403 5,101,928 21,616,331 
			 Sutton 5,100,801 4,418,675 9,519,476 
			 Tower Hamlets 22,441,941 7,394,838 29,836,779 
			 Waltham Forest 14,274,858 7,977,398 22,252,256 
			 Wandsworth 11,198,485 5,374,328 16,572,812 
			 Westminster 8,835,215 2,560,950 11,396,165

Standards Fund

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to review the proposed changes to the Standards Fund for 200405 in the light of this year's experience.

David Miliband: holding answer 4 April 2003
	The Government have announced that over the spending review period the proportion of funding provided to local education authorities and schools through ring-fenced grants will be reduced. The particular arrangements for Standards Fund are reviewed annually in the light of experience.

Students

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the time needed to repay a student loan after 2006 on the assumptions of (a) a top-up fee of 3,000 a year, (b) average earnings through the repayment period and (c) current levels of income taxation and inflation.

Margaret Hodge: The repayments on student loans vary according to the income of the individual borrower. The time taken by an individual to repay a student loan will depend upon many factors such as: the amount borrowed; their salary and the rate of growth of their earnings each year as they progress through their career; and whether they take a career break or experience spells of unemployment (when no repayments would be made because their income would be too low), it will also depend on whether they make any additional voluntary repayments from their own resources or from their employer.

Students

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many BEd students were in their fourth year of studies in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The latest available data are shown in the following table. We are unable to provide data on the number of undergraduate students who were in the fourth year of a four-year BEd course for 199899.
	
		
			  19992000a 200001a 200102b 200203b 
		
		
			 Number of trainees 4,703 4,621 4,293 3,455 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Trainees in England only.
	2. Due to the lack of a complete time series from one data source for the number of fourth year BEd students we have used two different data sources for the table.
	a Source of data for 19992000 and 200001 is from the TTA's performance profiles.
	b Source of data for the 200102 and 200203 is the TTA ITT Census.
	In recent years, there has been a shift away from four-year undergraduate courses of initial teacher training towards three-year courses. In 199899, 70 per cent. of new undergraduate trainees started four-year courses and 23 per cent. three-year courses. By 200203, only 53 per cent. of new undergraduates were starting four-year courses and 43 per cent. three-year courses. Between 48 per cent. of undergraduate entrants have begun courses of other lengths each year since 199899. There has also been a progressive shift from undergraduate teacher training to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) route. In the five years up to 200203, the number of students on PGCE courses rose by 34 per cent., from 17,415 to 23,324. Together, these factors have more than compensated for the fall in the numbers of trainees starting four-year undergraduate courses.

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 360W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

Stephen Twigg: The number of telephone calls made to each of the three helplines charged at national rate and the average duration of these calls for the period 1 March 2002 to 28 February 2003 were as follows:
	
		
			 Helpline Number of calls Average length of call (minutes seconds) 
		
		
			 Department's Public Enquiry Point (PEU) 165,380 02.45 
			 Laptops for Teachers 2,316 01.48 
			 Curriculum On Line (this helpline began in November 2002. These figures cover 1 November 2002 to 28 February 2003). 2,022 03.18

Tuition Fees

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish the evidence his Department has collated from (a) the United States, (b) Australia, (c) Canada and (d) New Zealand on the impact of differential tuition fees on access to university for students from different socio-economic backgrounds.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 31 March 2003
	Our new policy has been informed by evidence from many countries as to how best to balance the burdens of funding higher education. We are confident that the approach set out in the White Paper, which balances additional fees with grants, a higher repayment threshold, enhanced outreach work by universities, clearer information on the costs of HE; and the creation of the access regulator will all ensure that we will widen access for students from less advantaged backgrounds while we expand towards 50 per cent.

Tuition Fees

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much student university tuition fees have been in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The maximum contribution to tuition fees for full-time undergraduates in England and Wales attending courses at publicly-funded institutions of higher education has been uprated annually since 1998 on the basis of price inflation. The relevant figures are:
	
		
		
			  Contribution 
		
		
			  
			  
			 199899 1,000 
			 19992000 1,025 
			 200001 1,050 
			 200102 1,075 
			 200203 1,100 
		
	
	Only those who can afford to do so are asked to make a contribution to their tuition fees. Latest available figures, for the academic year 200001, show that some 61 per cent. of students were assessed to make either a nil or partial contribution to their fees.

University Admissions Policy

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how he will ensure that universities will accept as entry criteria qualifications achieved through the Government's proposals 1419: Opportunity for Excellence; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many universities accept as entry criteria key skills achieved through Curriculum 2000; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the impact of Curriculum 2000 on university admissions policies; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Universities are responsible for their own admissions criteria. Many universities have responded to the flexibilities introduced by Curriculum 2000 to modify their entry requirements. Around 70 per cent. of universities have course admissions requirements which explicitly refer to AS levels. The corresponding figure for key skills is around 50 per cent. My right hon. Friend has asked Mike Tomlinson to chair a group to consider future strategy on 1419 qualifications.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Homelessness

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to tackle the growing levels of homelessness in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Both the Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive recognise that the numbers of those presenting as homeless are increasing. However, homelessness is not just about bricks and mortar and many of the causes leading to homelessness are not within the control of either the Department or the Housing Executive.
	The Secretary of State's Plans and Priorities indicate our commitment to help those unfortunate enough to become homeless. The Government are committed to:
	investing 5 million to provide 75 new accommodation units specifically to assist homeless people;
	implementing new arrangements for providing housing support services to over 9,000 vulnerable people living in the community, helping to sustain and improve the existing support services provided to the homeless; and
	drawing up an interim report from an inter-departmental, cross sectoral Promoting Social Inclusion Review Group which is being set up to consider the causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless people.
	In addition the Housing Executive works with a wide variety of statutory and voluntary organisations to help deal with homeless issues.

Learning Disabilities

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by the inter-departmental working group to develop a strategy for the support of people with learning disabilities in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Inter Department Group on the transition of young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) into the world of employment, training or further education has met on two occasions and examined a number of key areas, including:
	options open to school leavers with SEN and associated gaps in provision,
	barriers that exist in terms of the benefits available to disabled school leavers on entering employment or training,
	difficulties in the Statutory Transition planning process and
	voluntary sector involvement.
	The Working Group will meet again shortly. Individual Departments have progressed work as follows:
	The Department of Education has met with and subsequently invited several voluntary groups to contribute to the Inter Departmental Group's work in order to develop a model of best practice.
	The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has met parents and carers to listen first hand to their experiences and concerns at meetings facilitated through a number of voluntary organisations.
	The Department for Employment and Learning has collated information to help inform the group and assist them to consider how to tackle the key issues of transition and provision for leavers of Special Schools.

Learning Disabilities

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in bringing forward new legislation on special educational needs and disability in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The consultation process on proposals for legislation which will enhance the educational opportunities of children and young people in Northern Ireland with special educational needs and disabilities has been completed. Consideration is currently being given to the content of such legislation in light of the responses to the consultative document and views expressed at consultation meetings. It is expected that draft legislation will be issued before the Summer and this will be the subject of further consultation. It is intended to introduce an Order in Council at Westminster or a Bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly towards the end of 2003, with a view to beginning implementation of the legislation in September 2004.

New Homes

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to increase the number of new homes being built by the public sector in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: A Needs and Effectiveness Review of Housing last year questioned the accuracy of the Net Stock Model which is the means for determining the level of new build social housing. Accordingly, the Department for Social Development commissioned research through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive with the aim of developing a more robust model, one that would identify housing need and demand over a 10-year period. The research, which will review and analyse the most recent demographic trends emerging from the 2001 census as well as the most up to date economic and social trends, will be available later this year. Clearly, the results of this work will be essential in helping inform decisions about the future level of new build social housing.

Omagh Bombing

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Irish Government about the decision of the Garda Commissioner to refuse permission to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to question two senior Garda officers concerning the investigation into the Omagh bombing.

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI have advised that they have not made any request to date to interview senior Garda officers in connection with the Omagh Investigation, and any press reports to the contrary are untrue.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilots

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much has been spent so far on the job retention and rehabilitation pilots; if he will list the pilots and their (a) costs and (b) locations; and how many pilots, in which locations, are planned for 200304;
	(2)  how much has been spent so far on the job retention and rehabilitation pilots; if he will list the pilots and their (a) costs and (b) locations; and how many pilots, in which locations, are planned for 200304.

Nick Brown: The Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilot will run from April 2003 for up to two years. It will test the effectiveness of different intervention strategies in helping people return to work, and will be delivered in six sites: Birmingham, Greater Glasgow, Sheffield, Tyneside, Teesside and West Kent. The total cost of the pilot is anticipated to be 17.75 million of which 1,580,197 has been spent to date.

Age Diversity

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his Department completed its diagnostic review for compliance with the Government's Code of Practice for Age Diversity in Employment; and what changes his Department plans to make following the review.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department is committed to ensuring that there is no unfair discrimination on basis of age within its policies and their implementation.
	The Department took steps to embed the provision of Government's Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment when age was integrated into our equal opportunity policies in accordance with the Performance and Innovation Unit's (PIU's) report Winning the Generation Game.
	The former Department for Social Security and Department for Education and Employment were lead partners associated in developing the report. They considered all recommendations of the PIU's report and implemented new policies where necessary, e.g. to allow staff to stay on up to the age of 65, (which was implemented before the report was issued).
	The Department has now implemented the recommendations of PIU's report.

British Sign Language

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which organisations in Cornwall will receive part of the funding recently allocated for raising awareness of British Sign Language; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 18 March 2003, Official Report, column 41WS, in which he announced a discrete programme of initiatives to support the statement. We will be consulting organisations of and for deaf people about how the additional funding of 1 million should be allocated.

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made with the pay review in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The DWP is committed to fair pay across the Department and all of its component parts. Equal pay audits have been completed across all parts of the Department in the last 18 months. The main findings were that our policies are not discriminatory and no significant issues were identified in terms of their application. We will continue to ensure our policies arid processes are designed to promote equality.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff are employed by his Department.

Maria Eagle: Staffing figures for civil service Departments and agencies are available in the Library. The latest information, for October 2002, was published in February this year. The figures are also made available on the internet at http://www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics/documents/pdf/staffing 03.pdf.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by his Department since 17 April 2002.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department for Work and Pensions plays a leading role in the UK's EU policy on employment, social protection and health and safety at work. Since 17 April 2002, the following six EU health and safety Directives have been implemented:
	Commission Directive 2001/58/EC of 27 July 2001 amending for the second time Directive 91/155/EEC defining and laying down the detailed arrangements for the system of specific information relating to dangerous preparations in implementation of Article 14 of European Parliament and Council Directive 1999/45/EC and relating to dangerous substances in implementation of Article 27 of Council Directive 67/548/EEC (safety data sheets)
	Commission Directive 2001/59/EC of 6 August 2001 adapting to technical progress for the 28th time Council Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances
	Commission Directive 2001/60/EC of 7 August 2001 adapting to technical progress Directive 1999/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations
	Directive 1999/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 1999 concerning the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations
	Council Directive 98/24/EC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (14th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)
	Directive 1999/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1999 on minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres (15th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC).
	EC Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states, without the need for further incorporation international law. However, some Regulations require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable. Some Regulations enact small or technical amendments. As far as we have been able to verify, the number of Regulations implemented by the Department for Work and Pensions since 17 April 2002 is two:
	Commission Regulation (EC) No 1687/2002 of 25 September 2002 on an additional period for notification of certain active substances already on the market for biocidal use as established in Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1896/2000
	Council Regulation (EEC) No 304/2003 of 28 January 2003 concerning the export and import of certain dangerous chemicals.

Exhibitions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list events at which his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible have exhibited in each of the last three years, stating for each (a) the purpose of exhibiting, (b) the cost of exhibiting and (c) the number of staff attending for the exhibition.

Maria Eagle: The Department and its agencies exhibits at many events each year. These include commercial trade exhibitions; local outreach events for The Pension Service, job fairs organised by Jobcentre Plus; and a host of other events aimed at the general public and other stakeholdersranging from Green Paper consultations to forums aimed at the pensions industry.
	The details requested are not held centrally for these many types of event. As a result the answer can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

External Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 31 March 2003, Official Report, column 598W, on external consultants, what the total cost of external consultants was to his Department and its predecessors in each of the last four financial years for which figures are available;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 31 March 2003, Official Report, column 598W, on external consultants, if he will list the 10 contracts with the largest value awarded to external consultants by his Department since it was established, giving the (a) value of the contract and (b) firm in each case;
	(3)  pursuant to his answer of 31 March 2003, Official Report, column 598W, on external consultants, what his estimate is of the cost involved in answering the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire's question; how this was arrived at; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the time it took to reach the conclusion that answering the question would incur significant disproportionate cost.

Maria Eagle: The accounting systems that record payments to organisations that supply consultancy and other professional services to DWP are not able to provide disaggregated figures in the level of detail required, without encountering significant disproportionate cost. Such information is as follows:
	The total cost to DWP of the use of external consultants and professional services in the 200102 financial year was 169.494 million. DWP accounting systems do not currently allow us to reliably disaggregate expenditure by contract under this heading, so this figure does not solely reflect expenditure on consultancy. The Department is in the process of introducing systems which should rectify this problem (a legacy of the creation of the Department in 2001 and of the Department of Social Security and Employment Service Accounting Systems) and allow us to record this data more accurately in future.
	The former DSS spend, prior to creation of DWP in 2001, on external consultancy and professional services was:
	199899 72.34 million: (79.30 million at present 200203 value)
	19992000 83.00 million: (88.83 million at present 200203 value)
	200001 104.73 million: (109.66 million at present 200203 value)
	The increase in expenditure in this area is due to the widespread modernisation programme currently underway in DWP. Figures are not available for the spend under former ES and could be obtained only at significant disproportionate cost.
	In attempting to provide information in response to the hon. Member's previous question, Official Report, column 598W, it emerged that there may be potential inaccuracies with the way in which the figures are recorded on the accounting systems. This was due, we believe, to the inability of DWPs current accounting system to disaggregate expenditure on consultancy and professional services by contract. Significant cost had already been incurred up to this stage and it was determined that further significant disproportionate cost would be incurred in attempting to provide the information requested by a manual reckoning of the input data.
	We estimated that the cost of answering the hon. Members previous question will be in the region of 3,0005,000.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners were in receipt of the minimum income guarantee (a) in total and (b) in each parliamentary constituency for each of the last six years for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The information has been placed in the Library.

Pensioners

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil, of 13 February 2003, Official Report, column 967W, what his estimate is of the gross annual cost of increasing the basic state pension by average earnings growth for each of the next 10 years; what offsetting savings there would be on the benefits; and what the net cost would be.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Table 1: Estimated cost of increasing the basic State Pension by average earnings from April 2003
		
			  Gross cost Net cost Income related benefit savings 
		
		
			 200304 510 million 340 million 180 million 
			 200405 1.4 billion 900 million 500 million 
			 200506 2.2 billion 1.4 billion 800 million 
			 200607 2.9 billion 1.9 billion 1 billion 
			 200708 3.8 billion 2.5 billion 1.3 billion 
			 200809 4.7 billion 3.1 billion 1.6 billion 
			 200910 5.7 billion 3.7 billion 2 billion 
			 201011 6.7 billion 4.4 billion 2.3 billion 
			 201112 7.7 billion 5 billion 2.7 billion 
			 201213 8.8 billion 5.7 billion 3 billion 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are in 200203 price terms rounded to the nearest 100 million, except 200304 which is rounded to the nearest 10 million. The gross cost may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Gross costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department.
	3. Income related benefit offsets are calculated using the DWP policy simulation model.
	4. Estimates are consistent with figures provided on 13 February 2003, Official Report, column 967W.
	The difference between the gross and net costs represents estimated savings in income related benefits as a result of increasing the basic State Pension by average earnings.

Pensioners

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether legislation arising from the consultation process on the recent Pensions Green Paper, Cm 5677, will include a commitment to protect the pension rights of people who worked in Australia before the termination of the Anglo-Australian Social Security Agreement.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by the Minister for Pensions on 23 July 2002, Official Report, column 1031.

Pensioners

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners aged 80 or over are in receipt of the 25p per week pension supplement; and what the cost is of administration of this scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: The latest available information is that there are around 2.6 million pensioners in receipt of the 25p age addition.
	Information on the cost of administering the age addition is not currently available in the format requested. In accordance with the requirements of Resource Accounting and Budgeting, the Department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure by Strategic Objective, as set out in its Public Service Agreements, and by individual Requests for Resources, as set out in the Departmental Estimates and Accounts.
	Notes:
	1. Information on recipients is based on September 2002 State Pension administration data.
	2. This figure has been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.
	3. This figure includes all pensioners aged 80 or over living in the UK and overseas receiving a State Pension.

Pensioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his letter to hon. Members of 17 March on the Pension Service and the Pensions Credit, how many personal direct mail packs his Department is sending to pensioner households; and if he will place a copy of a pack in the Library.

Maria Eagle: The Pension Service will be writing to all pensioner households to explain Pension Credit and invite applications. Between April 2003 and June 2004, all 6.8 million pensioner households will be issued with a direct mail pack. This systematic approach will be supported by regional and national advertising.
	Copies of the direct mail packs will be placed in the Library after the Easter recess.

Pensioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how many pensioner households he holds verified address information; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: There are about 8.1 million pensioner households in Great Britain. All customers are asked to give their address when they claim their pension. They are asked to let the Department know if they move to a different address.
	Note:
	The number of pensioner households is based on Winter Fuel Payment figures for 200102.

Pensioners

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures have been taken to reduce pensioner poverty since 1997; and what proposals he has to ensure that these measures are fully implemented.

Malcolm Wicks: We are taking action to tackle pensioner poverty and ensure that all pensioners share in the nation's prosperity. This is why our first priority has been to help the poorest pensioners and why it is right to target more money on them through the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG): from April 2003 no pensioner will have to get by on less than 102.10 (155.80 for couples). Rates will be linked to earnings throughout this Parliament.
	We know that there is no single measure of pensioner poverty which is a complex, multi-dimensional issue, affecting many aspects of pensioners' lives. But providing a decent income is key. So we will be spending around 7 billion extra on pensioners in 200304 as a result of the measures introduced since 1997. This includes around 3 billion on the poorest third of pensionersthe very people who need help most, and is almost six times as much as an earnings link to the basic state pension since 1998 would have given them.
	When Pension Credit replaces the MIG in October 2003, pensioners will, for the first time, be rewarded, not penalised, for saving. Pension Credit is radically different from MIG in that pound for pound deductions will be scrapped. Pension Credit will reward those with weekly incomes up to 139.08 for single pensioners, and 203.80 for couples. At the same time, further increases are proposedabove inflationto the Pensioners' Tax Allowances.
	Other measures have also been introduced to help tackle pensioner poverty. For example, in September 1997 the level of VAT on fuel was cut from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent., reducing a typical customer's fuel bill by around 16 a year, at a cost to the Government of 450 million a year. Winter Fuel Payments (WFP) will be 200 for each eligible household for the remainder of this Parliamentaround 7.9 million households and 11.3 million individuals will benefit from WFPs in 200203.
	We have introduced various measures to ensure that the initiatives we have introduced are fully implemented. For example, we have undertaken a take-up campaign to encourage those pensioners who are entitled to it to claim the MIG. This has put an average 20 a week extra in the pockets of 149,000 people who would not have received it otherwise. We have also reduced the MIG claim form from 40 pages to 10 and introduced a claim line for the MIG, which enables customers to contact the claim line by using a freephone number. The line has dealt with over one million inquiries.
	Our commitment to encourage pensioners to claim Pension Credit can be seen in the fact that the Spending Review 2002 introduced a Public Service Agreement target to pay Pension Credit to at least three million pensioner households by 2006. We have introduced a comprehensive strategy to achieve this. Measures, include:
	Transferring existing MIG recipients to Pension Credit ready for payments to be made from October 2003
	Running mass advertising (TV and Press) from September 2003 to launch Pension Credit and advise pensioners and their friends and family of how The Pension Service and partner organisations can support them to consider and take-up entitlement
	Writing to all pensioners not already receiving MIG over the take-on period (through to October 2004) to help them consider any entitlement to Pension Credit and encourage those likely to be eligible to apply
	Working with local partners to help support the communications to pensioners, and tailoring marketing and communications activity accordingly
	Reviewing the take-up position during autumn 2004 and taking any further action that may be necessary.
	The Households Below Average Income (HBAI) figures published on 13 March 2003 suggest that our strategy is succeeding. The figures continue to show large falls in the number of pensioners on absolute low income (before and after housing costs) since 1997. The absolute low income figures numbers are down from 2.7 million (199607) to 1.1 million pensioners (200102), a decline of over 60 per cent. on the after housing costs measure.
	Also, there has been a reduction of 0.4 million pensioners living in relative low-income households (after housing costs). This has been achieved even at a time of rapid growth in general prosperity that we've seen since 1997. Pensioners are therefore sharing in the country's rising prosperity. In fact on one measure, pensioners have more than kept pace with rising incomes overallthe number of pensioners below 60 per cent. of median income (after housing costs) is down by around 15 per cent. since 199697 (2.7 to 2.2 million pensioners).

SERPS

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are being taken to inform British people living abroad of the reduction in inherited SERPS, including the transitional arrangements and the compensation procedures.

Malcolm Wicks: For those customers living overseas and affected by the reduction in Inherited SERPS, The Pension Service wrote to embassies, expat organisations, including website editors with full details of the transitional arrangements. As part of a concerted advertising campaign on-line banner adverts on websites were introduced which were only accessible overseas. These adverts were directly linked to the SERPS information pages on The Pension Service website. Press adverts appeared in the national press and TV listings during the advertising campaign, these publications are widely read overseas, latest figures show around 800,000 a day.
	The Pension Service wrote to everyone who made inquiries about compensation. The majority of people who complained they had not been told about the original changes were either over pension age already or would reach pension age before October 2002. As a result they were not affected by the revised arrangements. The availability of compensation is signposted in The Pension Service complaints leaflets and full details of the scheme are publicly available on the internet. No specific action was taken to target British people living abroad with information about the compensation procedures when executing the advertising campaign, because it would not have been effective.
	There is absolutely no requirement for people, other than those receiving benefits, to report changes of address to the Department. As a result the addresses held on Departmental systems, particularly those for people of working age, are not reliable. Addresses for people abroad are even less reliable than those of people living in the UK. This meant that direct mailing to people abroad would not have been effective. The local rate call telephone number was not available to people abroad, nor was the freepost return envelope service, so any direct mailing to people abroad would have been far more complicated to run operationally We therefore considered that other channels of communication, particularly advertising and internet, would be more productive.

Social Exclusion

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures are in place to reduce social exclusion among older people and to enable them to take a fuller part in society.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government are committed to putting in place policies that will help older people play their full part in our society. A wide range of measures have already been introduced to tackle social exclusion among older people, a multi-dimensional problem, requiring a multi-agency response. Initiatives so far have included targeted service improvements as well as targeted benefit improvements.
	One of our key measures in reducing social exclusion among older people is tackling pensioner poverty.
	The Government will be spending around 7.5 billion extra on pensioners in 200304 as a result of the measures introduced since 1997. This includes around 3.5 billion on the poorest third of pensionersthe very people who need help most. This is almost six times as much as an earnings link to the basic state pension since 1998 would have given them. From April 2003, basic state pension will be 77.45 for singles(123.80 for couples). An increase of 100 a year for single people and 160 a year for couples. In future years the basic state pension will increase by 2.5 per cent. or the level of the September RPI, whichever is higher. Nearly four million households with someone aged 75 or over will benefit from free TV licences, worth around 116 per year.
	We also recognised that we have to do something for the poorest pensioners; that is why we introduced the minimum income guarantee (MIG). As a result, nearly two million people are benefiting from MIG and the take up campaign has put an average 20 a week extra in the pockets of around 149,000 people who would not have received it otherwise.
	We are now going a step further and introducing pension credit from October 2003 which will reward not penalise saving. It will be easy to apply for and will remove the indignity of the intrusive and bureaucratic weekly means test.
	As a consequence of this change, those pensioners in receipt of pension credit will receive an average extra income of 400 a yearand at last the savings of those who are just above the MIG level are being recognised.
	Following the Spending Review 2002, a Public Service Agreement target is now in place to pay pension credit to at least three million pensioner households by 2006. We have carefully devised a strategy to ensure maximum take-up of pension credit.
	Winter fuel payments (WFP) are an important strand of the Fuel Poverty Strategy. Around 7.9 million households and 11.3 million individuals have benefited from the 200 WFP to each eligible household in 200203. The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme will have helped around 480,000 vulnerable pensioner households, by 2004. Further measures include a reduced level of VAT on fuel and on the installation of energy saving materials so that people can more easily afford to keep warm.
	But social exclusion is not just about tackling poverty, we are also actively promoting more engagement and participation of older people in public life and the community through our support for the Better Government for Older People Network. This has established partnerships across Government and is contributing to improvements in the delivery of services for older people at a local level. In addition, the Older People Advisory Group is becoming established at a basis for national, regional and local engagement with older people.
	In the health and social care field we have introduced a National Service Framework for Older People setting clear national standards to ensure that older people receive the care, priority and attention that they should, root out age discrimination and promote health and active living among older people. In public transport, we have introduced for pensioners a free bus pass with a minimum half fare on local bus services. Recognising it plays a vital role in helping them remain active members of our communities, as well as keeping them in touch with friends and relatives.
	In combating crime we are targeting crime against older people. The Distraction Burglary Task Force has brought together a wide range of organisations including the police, voluntary organisations, the utility companies, banks and local authorities, to gather data, publicise good practice, raise awareness and provide guidance for victims and those at risk of this type of burglary.
	Providing opportunities to work are also key to tackling social exclusion. We have launched the Age Positive campaign aimed at employers and individuals to raise awareness of best practice and the business benefits of an age diverse workforce, using the Code of Practice on Age Diversity. The Experience Corps is aimed at encouraging older people to become involved in their communities through volunteering. The Learning and Skills Council is helping to increase participation of older people in adult and further education and the UK online centres are improving access to the Internet and new technologiesthe over 55s make up almost one quarter of the total learners in these centres.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the sunset clauses included in legislation from his Department since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has not included a sunset clause in any Bill since coming into being in June 2001.

HEALTH

AAT Deficiency

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to speed up the time it takes to identify people with AAT Deficiency.

Jacqui Smith: The considerable extra investment that this Government has made, and continues to make, in national health service funding will improve services for all NHS patients, including those with anti-antitrypsin deficiency. However, we have no plans centrally to take specific steps to speed up the time it takes to identify people with this condition.

Agency Social Workers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the (a) Association of Directors of Social Services and (b) local authorities regarding the cost to them of the need to employ agency social workers.

Jacqui Smith: I have regular discussions with representatives from local authorities and the Association of Directors of Social Services on a range of finance related issues, however it is for local councils to decide what staff to employ taking account of local circumstances.

Alzheimer's Disease

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the incidence of Alzheimer's disease in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health does not routinely collect information about the incidence of Alzheimer's disease but it is estimated that about 5 per cent. of people over 65 have dementia, and that Alzheimer's disease causes up to 60 per cent. of cases of dementia. While there are different estimates available, in 2001 the national service framework for older people reported that approximately 600,000 people in the United Kingdom had dementia.

Asthma

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to improve services for people with asthma; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the average amount spent in 200203 on asthma care by primary care trusts in (a) the north-west region and (b) England is.

Jacqui Smith: That information is not held centrally. However we estimate that the net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community for the treatment of asthma, in England for 200102 is 574 million. Patients with asthma are able to access the full range of National Health Service support services in both primary and secondary care settings.
	People with asthma will benefit from the emerging expert patients programme which will, via the NHS, provide training in self-management skills for people with long term chronic conditions. We have now commenced on a fourth wave pilot phase for the remaining selected primary care trusts, with activity taking place on a generic basis.
	The previous pilots have been well received by the course participants.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on asthma inhalers for children. In September 2000 it issued guidance on the use of inhalers for children under five. NICE also published guidance on inhaler devices for older children, age range five to 15, on 11 April 2002.

Asthma

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that people with asthma have their inhaling technique monitored on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 3 April 2003
	We do not have specific plans to ensure that inhaling techniques are monitored on a regular basis. However the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) produced guidance on inhaler devices for older children (age range five to 15) on 11 April 2002, which mentions the importance of considering the monitoring of effective inhaler techniques. Additionally on 8 September 2000 NICE issued guidance on the use of inhalers for children under five. This guidance states that general practitioners/community health carers have an essential role in providing support and guidance to aid the management of a child's condition, and advice on general management may result in additional improvements in clinical effectiveness.
	Additionally people with asthma will benefit from the emerging expert patients programme which will, via the national health service, provide training in self-management skills for people with long term chronic conditions.
	Expert groups such as the British Thoracic Society have also developed clinical guidelines for the management of asthma.
	A new general medical services contract agreement was launched on Friday 21 February 2003, which if accepted by the profession, will lead to an unprecedented level of new investment in general practice to deliver a wider range of high quality services with better clinical outcomes for all patients.

Care Assistants

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to encourage people to take up jobs as care assistants caring for (a) elderly and (b) disabled people.

Jacqui Smith: The Department is conducting a national recruitment campaign for social care to support employers. The campaign includes actions to encourage the recruitment of social carers. This aspect of the campaign, to undertake more work on the recruitment of social careworkers which includes care assistants for disabled and older people, will be stepped up during this year.
	The Government is funding a new human resource development specific grant to local Councils, worth 9.5 million, in 200304. One of the central purposes of this grant is to enable social care employers across the statutory, private and voluntary sectors to tackle problems of recruitment and retention.

Care Assistants

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with (a) local authorities and (b) care agency companies regarding shortages of care assistants.

Jacqui Smith: While we have not directly had discussions with care agency companies, local authorities and independent sector service providers are represented on a number of groups that advise the Department on recruitment policy.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 21 March 2003, Official Report, column 963W, on care homes, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of writing to care home providers on passing on the free nursing care contribution to residents.

Jacqui Smith: As a result of this exchange of correspondence an announcement of a package of measures to address this was made in a press release on 11 March 2002, 2002/0124. A copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Child Abandonment

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance is available to families (a) in difficulty and (b) with a child with disability to prevent potential abandonment.

Jacqui Smith: In England and Wales, section 17 of the Children Act 1989 places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need and, so far as is consistent with that duty, to promote the upbringing of such children by their parents. Councils can meet that duty by providing services to families, where this is the best way to meet the needs of the child. The criteria in the Children Act, which defines those are in need, includes all disabled children.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into the wraparound model for caring for looked after children.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health recognises that some looked after children displaying severe levels of challenging or anti-social behaviour require a specialised approach. The care planning process used for all looked after children seeks to ensure that the most appropriate carers, services and supports are available to meet the child's identified developmental needs. For some children, a specialised multi-agency approach, that will address the child's individual needs by providing specific therapeutic and behavioural management, will be required. The Department is therefore funding a Treatment Foster Care Intervention to provide structured support to the child, his/her foster carers and birth or adoptive families that addresses all the child's needs simultaneously. The model being used has been extensively evaluated in the United States and the Department of Health is commissioning evaluation of the English model.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 31 March 2003, Official Report, columns 3940WS, on children in care, what the outcomes are for 11-year-old looked-after children in (a) English and (b) maths in each of the last five years; and what results will be measured for 11-year-old looked-after children under the new PSA target.

Jacqui Smith: Data were first collected for the year ending 30 September 2000. This data and the data from 2001, are shown in the table. Data for year ending September 2002 will be available at the end of June 2003. The revised target measures the relative proportions of children in care achieving level 4 in English and Maths at Key Stage 2 compared with the proportions of all 11-year-olds achieving that level.
	
		Eligibility and performance of looked-after children1 in Key Stage tasks and tests, compared with all children,school years ending 30 September 2000 and 2001: England
		
			  Looked-after children All children 
			  Number Percentage Percentage 
			 Year 6 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Number eligible to sit Key Stage 2 tasks and tests 2,700 2,800 
			
			 Number who attained at least Level 42 in the following:   
			 English 860 940 32.3 33.3 74 74 
			 Mathematics 810 820 30.4 29.1 71 70 
		
	
	(19) Children who had been looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 30 September
	(20) Target level for age group
	Sources:
	1. For 'all children': DfES statistical bulletin 'National curriculum assessments of 7, 11 and 14-year-olds in England2001'.
	2. For 'looked after children': OC2 return. Annual publication: 'Outcome Indicators for Looked after Children, year ending 30 September 2001, England'.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 31 March 2003, Official Report, columns 3940WS, on children in care, what targets will be set for looked-after children who undergo less than one year of continuous care.

Jacqui Smith: The attainment of children who spend shorter times in care is important. We will, therefore, be consulting stakeholders on how best to achieve the introduction of individual education targets for all children in care. The Government will also put in place arrangements to analyse data from the new pupil level annual school census, in order to improve our understanding of outcomes for those young people who have spent any time in care. The results of this analysis will be used to inform the development of future policy.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 31 March, on children in care, whether a child who has entered a period of foster care is classified as a child in continuous looked-after child care.

Jacqui Smith: Yes. If a local council provides foster care for a child, under the Children Act 1989, that child is regarded as being looked after by the council.

Community Pharmacies

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community pharmacies in the Buckinghamshire health authority (a) closed and (b) opened in 200102.

David Lammy: In the year ending 31 March 2002, two community pharmacies in contract with the national health service to dispense prescriptions opened in Buckinghamshire health authority and two closed.

Consultants

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued on the (a) minimum and (b) optimum number of consultants needed to staff an accident and emergency department; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Department has not issued any specific guidance on the number of consultants needed to staff an accident and emergency department.

Dentists

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what levels of professional indemnity cover (a) dentists from EU countries practising in England and (b) dentists trained in England receive.

John Hutton: All dentists working in the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC). The GDC's guidance to dentists states that:
	a dentist involved in advising or treating patients must ... be indemnified against claims for professional negligence. ... A lack of adequate indemnity cover ... would almost certainly lead to a charge of serious professional misconduct.
	The GDC makes no distinction in this about where a dentist was trained.

Departmental Budget

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the internal departments, agencies and other public sector organisations which receive funding from his departmental budget.

John Hutton: At 1 April 2003, in addition to the main Department itself, the departmental budget funds the following statutory bodies in whole or in part.
	Executive Agencies:
	Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency
	NHS Estates
	NHS Pensions Agency
	NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency
	Strategic Health Authorities.
	Primary Care Trusts.
	Special Health Authorities:
	Counter Fraud and Security Management Service
	Dental Vocational Training Authority
	Family Health Services Appeal Authority (Special Health Authority)
	Health Development Agency
	Health Protection Agency
	Mental Health Act Commission
	National Blood Authority
	National Clinical Assessment Authority
	National Institute for Clinical Excellence
	National Patient Safety Agency
	National Treatment Agency
	NHS Appointments Commission
	NHS Information Authority
	NHS Litigation Authority
	NHS Logistics Authority
	Prescription Pricing Authority
	Retained Organs Commission
	UK Transplant
	Dental Practice Board.
	NHS Trusts.
	Executive and Tribunal Non Departmental Public Bodies:
	Care Standards Tribunal
	Commission for Health Improvement
	Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health
	Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals
	Family Health Services Appeal Authority
	General Social Care Council
	Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
	Mental Health Review Tribunal
	National Biological Standards Board
	National Care Standards Commission
	National Radiological Protection Board
	NHS Tribunal
	Pharmaceutical Price Control Tribunal
	Public Health Laboratory Service
	Local Authorities responsible for social services.
	Certain Statutory Inquiries:
	Ayling Inquiry
	Climbie Inquiry
	Kerr/Haslam Inquiry
	Neale Inquiry
	Shipman Inquiry
	Toft Inquiry
	In addition, funding support is provided towards the transitional costs of establishing the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health Professions Council (self-funding independent statutory bodies established in April 2002), to a number of advisory non-departmental public bodies and to statutory Inquiries run by NHS bodies.
	The information above excludes cases where payments are made to other statutory bodies in respect of goods or services provided.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

David Lammy: The estimate of expenditure on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 200203 was 419,680.
	The expenditure covers central purchasing through the Departments library and direct purchasing by individual units. The figures do not include expenditure by agencies or official publications which are published weekly, monthly or quarterly by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

E-prescriptions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what model his Department intends to roll out for e-prescriptions; what timetable has been set for the roll out; and what the budget was in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: To take forward the Government's commitments to electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) made in Information for Health, Pharmacy in the FutureImplementing the NHS Plan and Delivering 21st Century FT Support for the NHS, three pilots were initiated in June 2002. While the three pilots are currently working on different technical solutions in respect of information flows, lessons already learnt from the pilots are contributing to the development of a national model for ETP. This means that appropriate technical standards are being developed covering such areas as the format and content of the electronic prescribing message and security standards. In January 2003 the Department authorised a six-month extension to the pilots to further explore the issues associated with the development of a national model.
	Delivering 21st Century IT Support for the NHS called for a phased implementation of e-prescribing. The plan envisages that 50 per cent. coverage will be achieved by the end of December 2005, with national coverage being achieved by December 2007, with full clinician and patient functionality.
	The Department's contribution to the pilots has largely involved funding the costs of pharmacy connections to the NHSnet, the independent evaluation, and the re-engineering of the Prescription Pricing Authority. The costs of setting up and running the pilot has been met fully by the consortia themselves, based on business justification.

General Practitioners

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that GP practices have systems for reviewing medicines prescribed to older people; and what assessment he has made of the implications on the over medication of older people in (a) their own homes and (b) care homes.

Jacqui Smith: A number of steps have been taken nationally and locally, to support general practitioner practices in reviewing the medicines prescribed to older people. For example the National Collaborative for Medicines Management is introducing medication reviews as part of its programme.
	Information is not routinely collected on the over-medication of older people. We are aware of the concerns about inappropriate use of medications among older people, within care homes in particular. Medication reviews will play an important part in preventing inappropriate use of the medication.

General Practitioners

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policies are in place to encourage GP surgeries to open for longer hours and at weekends.

John Hutton: The NHS Plan and Planning and Priorities Framework 200306 makes it clear that development of fast, convenient and responsive primary care services is a key priority for primary care trusts (PCTs). It is, however, for PCTs, working with their local practices and other providers to decide how to achieve this whether through general practice or by promoting alternative service models including use of personal medical services, salaried doctors, NHS walk-in centres or local walk-in services.

General Practitioners

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance he has issued to primary care trusts on longer opening hours for GP surgeries.

John Hutton: None.

Gulf War

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact the deployment of NHS professionals to the Gulf has had on the provision of services in accident and emergency departments.

John Hutton: So far, the impact on the provision of services in accident and emergency departments across the National Health Service as a whole resulting from the deployment of NHS professionals to the Gulf has been minimal. The Department is working closely with the Ministry of Defence and the NHS to ensure this continues to be the case.

Gulf War

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he expects the deployment of NHS staff to the Gulf to affect levels of NHS activity.

John Hutton: The Department has worked with the Ministry of Defence and the National Health Service to put in place contingency arrangements designed to minimise the impact of the deployment of NHS staff to the Gulf. It is expected that levels of NHS activity will be maintained.

Health Care (Somerset)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many disabled people are registered in England; how many have learning difficulties; how many NHS registered wheelchair users there are; and how many have hearing loss.

Jacqui Smith: Figures on how many disabled people are registered in England are not collected centrally, except for figures relating to sensory impaired disabled people. However, each local authority is required by law to maintain a register of disabled people living within its area, for the purposes of planning and providing appropriate social services. Registration, though, is entirely voluntary, and is not required as a condition of receiving services from local authorities.
	The White Paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century (CM 5086), published in March 2001, estimated that there were around 210,000 people with severe and profound learning disabilities in England and a prevalence rate of around 25 per 1,000 population, or up to 1.2 million people, for mild/moderate learning disabilities.
	The Audit Commission estimates that there are at least 640,000 long-term wheelchair users in the United Kingdom, about 70 per cent. of whom are over 60 years. The current total number of manual wheelchairs within the national health service in England is estimated to be approximately 1.2 million with some 200,000 issued each year. In addition to the manual wheelchairs, there are approximately 25,000 powered wheelchairs, mainly electrically powered indoor and outdoor chairs (EPIOCs), with some 6,000 new EPIOCs issued each year.
	On 31 March 2001, the last date for which we have data, 194,840 people in England were registered with local authorities as deaf or hard of hearing. The Royal National Institute for the Deaf estimates that as many as one in seven of the population has a hearing impairment.

Health Care (Somerset)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what help is given to local authorities to help place elderly people in care homes.

Jacqui Smith: Councils with social services responsibilities have considerable experience in placing older people and other vulnerable adults in care homes. Since 1993 they have had responsibilities for placements in both their own homes and independent sector homes where residents need financial support or do not have care and attention otherwise available to them.
	To assist councils, the Department of Health has published guidance on: the way in which older people's needs should be assessed; information that councils should make available to prospective residents; the choices that individuals may make; and the rules for determining financial and care management responsibility for out-of-area placements. Regulations and associated guidance provide councils with a national framework for determining how much individual residents should contribute to care home fees.
	Much of this information is brought together in the 1996 publication Moving into a care home that can be used as source material by prospective residents, actual residents, councils and other interested parties. An updated version of this publication will be available later in 2003.

Health Services (Deaf People)

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to make additional resources available to implement the recommendations of the review Sign of the Times; and how his Department will ensure that these resources are channelled directly to this purpose;
	(2)  when his Department will announce the results of the consultation into mental health services for deaf people entitled Sign of the Times; and when the recommendations will be implemented;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there are better linkages between specialist and local health services for deaf people with mental health problems;
	(4)  what his Department is doing to ensure that the National Service Framework for mental health services applies to British sign language users; and if he will make a statement on the process that will be followed to achieve this.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health published a consultation document entitled Sign of the Times in July of last year specifically to address this issue. The consultation period extended to November to allow time for voluntary groups to respond. The Department is now working with an expert group to distil the many responses received and intends to publish its response in the spring.
	Additional resources will be made available to assist implementation of the final guidance.
	A key issue will be the relationship between local and specialist services and this will be addressed in the final response.

Health Vacancies

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the vacancy rate was for (a) radiographers and (b) biomedical scientists in the NHS in (i) England, (ii) each NHS region and (iii) each NHS trust in each of the last six years.

John Hutton: The National Health Service vacancy survey, first collected in March 1999, collects information on the number of posts which trusts are actively trying to fill which havebeen vacant for three months or more. Vacancy information in March 1999 was only collected for the overall radiographer group and pathology staff and has only beenseparately collected as diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers and biomedical scientists from March 2000. The available information has been placed in the Library.

Home Helps

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many home helps were employed in each local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the whole-time equivalent number of home helps employed by each local authority in England as at 30 September 2001 (the latest date for which data are available) has been placed in the Library.

Hospital Standards

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives are proposed so as to increase standards for the worst performing hospitals.

John Hutton: The Modernisation Agency runs programmes to turn around poorly performing national health service trusts with an average value of 250,000 per zero star trust. Their performance improvement team addresses failures around access targets, while the clinical governance team assists trusts who received an adverse clinical governance review. This support aims to enable NHS trusts to improve their performance rating so that they have the opportunity to benefit from a range of earned autonomy freedoms, and to apply for foundation trust status. This is part of the Government's Plan to raise standards across the whole NHS, as set out in the Department of Health publication, Raising Standards Across the NHSA Programme of Rewards and Support for all NHS Trusts, in December 2002.

Hypothyroidism

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of a possible link between ADD/ADHD and hypothyroidism; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: While congenital hypothyroidism can cause deficits in attention no significant associations between abnormal thyroid hormone levels and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have been found. Routine screening of thyroid function is not recommended as part of the diagnostic assessment of ADHD.

Hypothyroidism

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of children who fail to recover from ADD/ADHD by the time they reach adulthood.

Jacqui Smith: Research indications are that some of the symptoms of attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood can persist into adulthood in 30 to 70 per cent. of people. The wide percentage variation reflects the differing criteria and definitions used in the available research studies.

Malpractice

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the health service budget is used to settle cases of malpractice.

David Lammy: Information on the amounts used to settle claims for malpractice is not collected centrally.
	According to the National Audit Office summarised accounts 200102, for the National Health Service (England), expenditure for claims and associated costs for clinical negligence was 446 million.
	The proportion of health service budget used to settle clinical negligence cases is 0.9 per cent.

Meningitis C Vaccine

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being conducted into meningitis; and what support is available from the Department of Health to encourage it.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 1 April 2003
	Over the last five years, a total of approximately 4 million has been provided to the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR) for meningococcal research. A total of approximately 2 million has been provided to the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) over the last three years for meningococcal research. In 2001, the Chief Medical Officer commissioned an audit, of 120,000 over two years, of the hospital care of adults with meningococcal disease.
	The Department of Health has recently provided 6.1 million over three years to the Vaccine Evaluation Consortium for further vaccine research, some of which relates to meningococcal research. Research into vaccine against Group B meningococcal disease continues as part of the work undertaken by PHLS and CAMR, now the Health Protection Agency.

Mental Health Services(Children and Adolescents)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the total number of people who required access to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: Information is not available in the form requested.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002.

David Lammy: Responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the framework document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. Part (a) of this question will be addressed in a letter from Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to the hon. Member. Information about the cost of taxis is available in the Department's central accounting system for the main Department, the Medical Devices Agency, the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency and the NHS Pensions Agency. No discrete information relating to expenditure on taxis is available for the Department's other agencies. Accounts are produced for financial years ending 31 March and the cost of taxis in the current financial year up to February 2003 and in the 20012002 financial year was as follows:
	
		
			 Financial Year Amount ()  
		
		
			 200102 312,226 
			 200203 (to February 2003) 329,267 
		
	
	The Department ensures that all business travel is made by the most economic means, taking into account any management benefit and the needs of staff with disabilities.

National Service Framework for Older People

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many structures identifying nursing leaders with responsibility for older people have been developed as part of the milestones set out on page 172 of the National Service Framework for Older People.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not held centrally. However, a monitoring exercise conducted at the end of 2002 through the strategic health authorities suggested that 83 per cent. of hospitals have developed structures for identifying nurse leaders with responsibility for older people.

Neonatal Services

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the report of the review of neonatal intensive care provision will be published.

Jacqui Smith: I am considering the report following from a national review of neonatal intensive care and expect to determine the next steps in this process very shortly.

NHS Dentists

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with national health service dentists in each of the last 10 years in the area covered by the York and Selby Primary Care Trust.

Jacqui Smith: At 30 September 2002, 150,000 patients were registered with a general dental service dentist in Selby and York Primary Care Trust.
	
		General Dental Service: Number of patients registered with a dentist, 1993 to 2002 North Yorkshire health authority -- Thousand
		
			 At 30 September Number of patients registered  
		
		
			 1993 457 
			 1994 448 
			 1995 434 
			 1996 430 
			 1997(21) 429 
			 1998(21) 392 
			 1999(21) 392 
			 2000(21) 399 
			 2001(21) 400 
			 2002(21) 390 
		
	
	(21) Registration data for these years in not comparable with earlier years due to the change in the registration period. 2002 data are for 31 August.
	Source:
	Department of Health

NHS Recruitment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on (a) TV and (b) press advertising to publicise the Join the team, make a difference NHS recruitment campaign.

John Hutton: The breakdown of television and press advertising expenditure on the Join the team, make a difference NHS recruitment campaign, since commencement in February 2000, is shown in the table.
	
		()
		
			 Year Television Press 
		
		
			 19992000 2,217,880 892,615 
			 200001 1,800,000 1,009,115 
			 200102 1,850,000 923,056 
			 200203 1,986,618 1,399,476

NHS Recruitment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have taken up jobs within the NHS as a direct result of the Join the team, make a difference NHS recruitment campaign.

John Hutton: The Join the team, make a difference national health service recruitment campaign is part of an overall recruitment, retention and return strategy aimed at increasing the size of the NHS workforce. This strategy has contributed to the increase in the NHS workforce of 70,336 between September 1999 and September 2001 1 .
	1 Source:Department of Health Workforce Censuses.

NHS Recruitment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) calls the NHS Careers Hotline and (b) hits the NHS Careers website have received since the recruitment campaign, 'Join the team and make a difference', was launched.

John Hutton: The breakdown of calls to the National Health Service Careers response line during the main Join the team, make a difference NHS recruitment campaigns, since commencement in February 2000, are shown in table 1.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Telephone calls Other contacts(22) 
		
		
			 19992000 51,448 1,865 
			 200001 108,893 21,351 
			 200102 102,823 28,701 
			 200203 121,025 73,838 
			 Total 384,189 125,755 
		
	
	(22) Other contacts includes responses received by NHS Careers from e-mails, faxes, white mail and returner pro-formas.
	The breakdown of hits to the NHS Careers website are shown in table 2.
	
		Table 2
		
			  Hits to NHS Careers website 
		
		
			 200001 6,366,242 
			 200102 16,840,899 
			 200203 37,016,447 
			 Total 60,223,588 
		
	
	Data were not recorded before April 2000.

Nursing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many self-funders there are in each registered nursing care band;
	(2)  how many self-funders have been subject to a review of their entitlement to a registered nursing care contribution, broken down by (a) band in which they were placed at the time of the initial determination and (b) bands in which they were placed at the first review.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected centrally and is therefore not available in the form requested. Of those whose needs had been determined at 31 December 2001, around 19 per cent. had been allocated to the low band; 58 per cent. to the middle band; and 22 per cent. to the high band. There are just under 42,000 self funders in England in total.
	Anyone eligible for national health service funded nursing care should have their needs reviewed regularly, at three months and 12 months. Their needs may also be reviewed at other times if there is a sustained change in their condition.

Older People

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) specialist multi-disciplinary teams and (b) interfaces for care for older people throughout hospitals have been identified as part of the milestones set out in the National Service Framework for Older People; how many strategic and operational plans, including initial action to address identified age discrimination, he (i) has received and (ii) expects to receive as part of the milestones set out in the National Service Framework for Older People; how many of the intermediate care joint investment plans have been agreed, as set out in the National Service Framework for Older People milestones; and which general hospitals have (A) submitted and (B) not submitted plans to introduce a specialised stroke unit by 2004 as part of the milestones set out in the National Service Framework for Older People.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 2 April 2003
	This information is not collected centrally. However, a monitoring exercise conducted at the end of 2002 through the strategic health authorities suggested that:
	73 per cent. of hospitals have developed identified specialist multidisciplinary teams and agreed interfaces for the care of older people throughout hospitals;
	91 per cent. of national health service organisations, strategic and operational plans include action to address identified age discrimination; and
	83 per cent. of hospitals that care for people who have had a stroke will have plans in place to introduce a specialised stroke service from 2004.
	On the intermediate care joint investment plans, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 1037W.

Organ Donation

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the supply of (a) kidneys and (b) other donor organs within the NHS.

David Lammy: The figures are shown in the table.
	
		Live/Cadaveric organs donated for transplant, United Kingdom, 19992003, by financial year
		
			  Living donor kidneys Cadaveric kidneys Hearts(23) Lungs Livers Pancreata Corneas 
		
		
			 19992000 302 1,460 269 265 675 33 3,637 
			 200001 343 1,440 221 230 657 48 3,803 
			 200102 373 1,395 187 226 641 67 3,277 
			 200203(24) 358 1,441 163 234 672 83 3,358 
		
	
	(23) Includes 'domino' hearts.
	(24) To 23 March 2003.

Osteoporosis

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the awareness amongst women and girls of the risks of osteoporosis.

Jacqui Smith: The Department works closely with and provides funding through the Section 64 General Scheme to the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS). NOS is the leading body in this field and produces a range of information leaflets and offers an advice helpline. For the majority of the population, preventative measures of a balanced diet, exercise, ceasing smoking and reducing alcohol intake prove sufficient. The Government has tackled increasing awareness and the importance of adopting these public health measures in a wide variety of ways in recent years.

Overseas Medical/Dental Staff

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria dentists from (a) countries about to join the EU and (b) EU countries have to meet before being able to practise in England.

John Hutton: holding answer 3 April 2003
	All doctors and dentists wishing to practise in the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Medical Council and General Dental Council respectively. European Union nationals holding specified medical or dental qualifications awarded by other member states are entitled to automatic recognition in the UK on the basis of agreed minimum training requirements. Once ratified, the Accession Treaty will provide for the recognition of medical and dental qualifications awarded by the new member states on the same basis. Qualifications awarded following training begun after accession will comply with the minimum community requirements and be automatically recognised. In other cases, evidence of recent and substantial experience in the member state concerned may be required.

Overseas Medical/Dental Staff

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks there are to ensure that dentists from abroad wishing to practise in England have appropriate language skills to enable them to do so.

John Hutton: holding answer 3 April 2003
	Overseas qualified dentists wishing to practise in the United Kingdom have to satisfy the General Dental Council that they have the necessary knowledge of English. Nationals of other European Economic Area States are exempt from this requirement and assessing their language skills is a matter for employers.

Overseas Medical/Dental Staff

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria doctors from (a) EU countries and (b) those countries about to join the EU have to meet before being able to practise in England.

John Hutton: holding answer 3 April 2003
	All doctors and dentists wishing to practise in the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Medical Council and General Dental Council respectively. European Union nationals holding specified medical or dental qualifications awarded by other member states are entitled to automatic recognition in the UK on the basis of agreed minimum training requirements. Once ratified, the Accession Treaty will provide for the recognition of medical and dental qualifications awarded by the new member states on the same basis. Qualifications awarded following training begun after accession will comply with the minimum Community requirements and be automatically recognised. In other cases, evidence of recent and substantial experience in the member state concerned may be required.

Prison Health Care

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of hospital officers in prison health care facilities.

Jacqui Smith: The role and responsibility of health care officers were considered in a report on 'Nursing in Prisons', and published in October 2000. It is available at: www.doh.gov.uk/prisonhealth
	As a result of the recommendations in that report, National Occupational Standards have been developed for custodial health care. They include clinical and custodial competencies, and apply to all health care staff including health care officers.

Prisons

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the practice of automatic detoxification within prisons of patients previously stabilised in the community on substitute prescriptions has been discontinued.

Jacqui Smith: On first reception into custody, each prisoner has a general health examination/assessment, which aims to identify any current or previous drug usage and engagement with community drugs services. The decision whether, in the light of this information, to proceed with either detoxification or substitute prescribing, as a prelude to a broader based drug treatment programme, is a matter for the clinical judgement of the practitioner concerned.
	The prison service's standard for clinical services for substance misusers requires all prisons which receive prisoners from court to have detoxification guidelines in place for at least one of Methadone, Lofexidine, and Dihydrocodeine. It also requires establishments to have evidence-based guidelines for maintenance prescription that are consistent with current Department of Health guidance and provides advice about the particular categories of prisoners for whom maintenance prescription is likely to be suitable.

Respiratory Diseases (Emergency Admissions)

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency admissions to acute hospitals in (a) the West Midlands (South) Strategic Health Authority area and (b) the Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust related to respiratory diseases in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The information is shown in the following table.
	The table shows the number of emergency admissions where the primary diagnosis was respiratory diseases for the year 200102 for all acute trusts within the West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority geographical area.
	
		
			 Acute Trust In Year Admission Episodes 
		
		
			 South Warwickshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 1,618 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 3,353 
			 Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 1,303 
			 George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 1,387 
			 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 4,286 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics

Social Services/NHS Use

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) over 65 year olds, (b) under 18 year olds and (c) 1865 year olds used (i) social services and (ii) the NHS each day in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not centrally available. Information on key measures of National Health Service activity is available in the Chief Executive's Report to the NHS Statistical Supplement which is available on the Department of Health website at the following address: www.doh.gov.uk/nhsreport/statisticalsupplement.pdf

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) the West Midlands (South) Strategic Health Authority and (b) the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust on the strategies the trust will adopt to address its deficit; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: I have had no discussions about the strategies South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust will adopt to address its deficit. It is for local strategic health authorities to monitor the strategies of the individual primary care trusts within their area.

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust to (a) bring its annual expenditure into balance and (b) eradicate its cumulated deficit; what the latest date is which he will accept for both; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: holding answer 1 April 2003
	This is a matter for West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority (StHA). I expect South Worcester Primary Care Trust (PCT) to bring its annual expenditure into balance. The StHA is currently agreeing a date with the PCT, by which time its cumulated deficit will be eradicated.

Student Location

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to maintain students at the best performing hospitals within the present NHS structure.

John Hutton: Student placements are a vital component of our strategy for training the future national health service work force. NHS organisations and their partners in the education sector will continue to work together with work force development confederations to maintain the availability and quality of practice placements at all hospitals.

Travel Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of travel by train by staff in his Department in 2002.

David Lammy: Information about the costs of rail travel is available in the Department's central accounting system which holds details for the main Department, the Medical Devices Agency and the Purchasing and Supply Agency. Accounts are not produced on a calendar basis but for a financial year ending 31 March. The amounts spent on travel by train in the current financial year up to February 2003 and in the previous financial year were as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Amount () 
		
		
			 200102 3,744,913 
			 200203(25) 3,465,786 
		
	
	(25) To February 2003.
	As well as including expenditure for all staff these amounts also comprise rail expenses incurred by other travellers authorised to undertake business on behalf of the Department such as consultants and members of departmental committees.
	The Department ensures that all business travel is made by the most economic means, taking into account any management benefit and the needs of staff with disabilities.

Treatment Guidelines

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the guidelines for doctors issued by the British Medical Association and the General Medical Council on withdrawing tube feeding and hydration from patients who are not dying.

David Lammy: Artificial nutrition and hydration are a form of medical treatment and are subject to the same principles as those governing medical treatment. There is no lawful justification for giving or continuing treatment that is not in the best interests of a patient who is unable to consent. The guidance from the British Medical Association and the General Medical Council is in line with this legal position.

Type 2 Diabetes

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of Type 2 diabetes were recorded in school children in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: An estimated 3.2 per cent. of the adult population in England (around 1.3 million people) have diagnosed diabetes. Approximately 15 per cent. of people with diabetes have Type 1 and 85 per cent. have Type 2. Information on the number of school children with Type 2 diabetes is not collected centrally.

Waiting Lists

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources are being made available to reduce waiting lists for knee operations; and if he will make a statement on waiting times in North Staffordshire.

David Lammy: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for decisions about what healthcare to commission for their local population using available resources and each PCT's budget will grow by a minimum of 28.08 per cent. over the next three years.
	The Government are aware that orthopaedics is a particularly challenged speciality in terms of waiting times. We are working with a group of 43 of the most challenged trusts in this speciality to support them in analysing the size of the problem that they face. Through this work, we will help them to create an action plan to enable them to meet the waiting times targets for 2005 for their orthopaedic patients.
	The Government are also actively working with the British Orthopaedic Association to look actively at the supporting issues in orthopaedics, e.g. workforce and epidemiology and benchmarking of services.
	Significant headway has been made on the key Government targets of waiting times for inpatient and outpatient appointments within the Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority (StHA) area. I understand from the StHA that it expects to meet the key waiting list targets and currently has no English person waiting more than 12 months for an inpatient appointment or more than 21 weeks for an outpatient appointment.

Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 27 March 2003, ref 104986, what the latest date is which he will accept for the eradication of the cumulated deficit of the Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust.

David Lammy: holding answer 1 April 2003
	This is a matter for West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority (StHA). The StHA is currently agreeing a date by which the cumulated deficit of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust will be eradicated.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the level of council taxes in England for the 200304 financial year.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for Local Government and the Regions, the right hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) to the hon. Member on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 901W.

Council Tax

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average rate of council tax increase was in each financial year since 199697.

Christopher Leslie: The table sets out the average council tax increase and change in increase in average council tax on the previous year (in percentage points) for each year.
	
		
			  Increase in average council tax (percentage) Change in increase in average council tax on previous year (percentage points) 
		
		
			 199697 6.1 1.1 
			 199798 6.5 0.4 
			 199899 8.6 2.1 
			 19992000 6.8 -1.7 
			 200001 6.1 -0.7 
			 200102 6.4 0.2 
			 200203 8.2 1.9 
			 200304 12.9 4.7

Crime

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to combat the fear of crime among (a) women, (b) men, (c) the elderly and (d) young people.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	The latest statistics from the British Crime Survey (BCS) report that levels of fear of crime in the key categories of burglary, vehicle and violent crime have fallen compared to 200102. 15 per cent. of adults had high levels of worry about burglary (compared with 16 per cent.), 17 per cent. had high levels of fear about car crime (compared with 19 per cent.) and 21 per cent. had high levels of fear of violence (compared with 22 per cent.).
	We are addressing misperceptions about crime by promoting the facts about crime levels and common sense precautions which individuals can take to prevent becoming a victim of crime. In order to do this, we are working with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), other Government Departments and organisations representing vulnerable groups including women, young people and the elderly.
	A Fear of Crime Toolkit will be published on the Home Office Crime Reduction website in May 2003 to aid the further dissemination of this message, as well as provide best practice to all practitioners who are working towards reducing fear of crime within communities and vulnerable groups.

Grants

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 18 March 2003, Official Report, columns 7438, how much has been provided each year, in aggregate, for grants aimed at (a) ethnic minorities and (b) asylum seekers; and what value of the aggregate rate support grant is directed to local authorities in accordance with criteria based on those factors.

Nick Raynsford: The information is as follows:
	Specific Grants:
	The following table shows the amount in millions provided to local authorities by central Government in specific grants for ethnic minorities and asylum seekers.
	
		
			Ethnic minorities   Asylum seekers 
			  Race equality(26) Education(26) Total Education Race equality Adults and families(27) UASC(28) Total 
		
		
			 199798 70  70   70  70 
			 199899 105  105   190  190 
			 19992000  91 91  36 217  253 
			 200001  94 94  6 557 18 581 
			 200102 7 90 97 2  415 110 527 
			 200203  89 89 4  (29) (29) (29) 
		
	
	(26) The figures given represent the amount provided by central government, elements of this money required matched funding from local authorities.
	(27) As central Government accounting practice changed in 200102, until that year figures for adults and families and UASC are on a cash basis and after they are given on an accruals basis.
	(28) Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.
	(29) Figures for 200203 are not yet available for Adults and Families or UASC.
	Revenue Support Grant(RSG):
	Revenue Support Grant and redistributed business rates are distributed through Formula Spending Shares (FSS). The Education, Personal Social Services, and Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block all use indicators which relate to ethnic minorities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not distinguish asylum seekers in any of the formulae.
	Since 200102, following the FSS calculation of grant, floors and ceilings have been applied to ensure that all authorities receive at least a certain level of grant. For example in 200304 authorities with education responsibilities receive at least a 3.5 per cent. increase in general grant. As a result it is not possible to calculate the amount of Revenue Support Grant that is paid out to local authorities as a result of the inclusion of ethnicity indicators in the FSS formulae.

Aggregates

David Rendel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  when he will publish the review of the draft national and regional guidelines for aggregates provision in England 200116;
	(2)  if he will publish the review of the draft national and regional guidelines for aggregates provision in England 200116 on or before 18 April.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hopes to publish the final guidelines within the next couple of months, but the remaining work to be done means that they will not be published before 18 April.

Inspectorates

Archie Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by (i) the Single Housing Inspectorate and (ii) the Planning Inspectorate in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: Housing inspection between 1997 and March 2003 was carried out by the Audit Commission (for local authorities) and the Housing Corporation (for registered social landlords). Both functions will be carried out by a single housing inspectorate within the Audit Commission as from 1 April 2003. The figures are shown in table 1.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Total staff employed by the Audit Commission on inspection Estimated number of staff in Inspection Directorate engaged in housing inspection work (full-time equivalents) Total staff employed by the Housing Corporation on inspection 
		
		
			 199798 4 1  
			 199899 18 3  
			 19992000 73 11  
			 200001 324 59  
			 200102 438 66 43 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The Audit Commission's financial year runs from 1 November to 31 October.
	2. The Housing Corporation's financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March: figures in column 4 therefore refer to 200203
	The Audit Commission is responsible for carrying out inspections of local authority planning functions. The Planning Inspectorate deals with appeals and other casework under planning, housing, highways and allied legislation: the figures in shown in table 2, the Planning Inspectorate are not therefore directly comparable with those in table 1.
	
		Table 2 -- Full-time equivalents
		
			  Total staff employed Number of inspectors 
		
		
			 199798 828 410 
			 199899 766 373 
			 19992000 803.8 378 
			 200001 780.8 346.3 
			 200102 783.2 344.4 
			 200203 (as at 3 March 2003) 876.9 429.2 
		
	
	Note:
	The Planning Inspectorate's financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

Local Authority Finance

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to adjust formula spending share of local authorities to reflect different costs and savings incurred in modernisation of the Fire Service.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is aware that the costs and savings incurred as a result of the modernisation of the Fire Service may have a varying impact on individual Fire Authorities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will work with the relevant stakeholders to establish a clearer understanding of these effects. It will be considered whether and how the results of this work needs to be reflected in due course.

Millennium Dome

John Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what contamination there is under the Dome site;
	(2)  what remedial action has been undertaken to clear the land of the Dome site;
	(3)  what the cost is of land reclamation at the Dome site;
	(4)  what works have to be done to clean the ground at the Dome site to make it suitable for houses;
	(5)  how long it will take and how much it will cost to decontaminate the Dome site sufficiently for it to take deep foundation housing.

Tony McNulty: Remediation of the Dome site and Greenwich Peninsula, comprising some 121.4 hectares, was carried out in two stages. British Gas, as the original landowner, carried out statutory remediation. The second phase was carried out by English Partnerships (EP) to make the site fit for purpose as per the masterplan for the site.
	British Gas and EP employed WS Atkins as remediation consultants, who secured agreement from the Environment Agency and the Environmental Health Department of the London Borough of Greenwich for the adopted remediation solutions. This has involved either the removal of any remaining contaminated material or works to contain and isolate remaining traces of contaminants such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons, which were tar by-products from the site's original use as a gasworks.
	The depth to which materials were removed and treated varies across the site. In some areas material was removed to a depth of 14 metres. The containment of any residual contamination after treatment involved the construction of surface and vertical barriers. Such barriers vary according to the end use but in landscaped areas, for example, they are typically about 1.5 metres thick. Works were undertaken toachieve remediation fit for purpose as per the masterplan.
	The cost to EP for the purchase and remediation, servicing and landscaping of the Greenwich Peninsula site was 185 million. The requirement for any future remediation will depend partly upon whether there is a change of use from that proposed under the existing masterplan to a use proposed under the masterplan that is currently the subject of a planning application to Greenwich Council. In any case, as with any brownfield site, further development will need to be done in such a way as to preserve the integrity of the capping layer, for which there are standard construction processes. Therefore, further remediation may not necessarily be required.
	The land under the Dome itself will not be used for housing. A planning application was submitted to the London Borough of Greenwich, by Meridian Delta Ltd. jointly with Anschutz Entertainment Group, Quintain Estates and Development and English Partnerships, on 23 December 2002. The plan proposes a new 26,000 capacity arena inside the Dome and surrounding facilities in the Dome for various leisure, sporting, entertainment, exhibition, retail and community uses. It also outlines development over a 20-year period for: over 10,000 homes on the Peninsula with associated community facilities and public open space; and 3.5m sq. ft of commercial development on the Peninsula. The application covers some 76.9 hectares, and is currently being considered by Greenwich Council under the normal planning procedures.
	It should also be noted that the delivery of housing on the Peninsula is already well underway, with the construction of the Millennium Village.

Mineral Land Banks

David Rendel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to reduce the required mineral land bank for Berkshire for the period between 2001 and 2016.

Tony McNulty: This is a matter for the unitary district authorities responsible for minerals planning in Berkshire to consider. In doing so they will need to take into account their revised individual apportionments within the regional guidelines for aggregates provision, which are to be issued shortly. The apportionments for individual authorities will be recommended by the South East Regional Aggregates Working Party, on which minerals planning authorities in the region are represented, in consultation with the Regional Planning Body for the South East. This will follow a process of testing the proposed regional apportionments against local environmental and economic circumstances, to be carried out in the months following their publication.

Tuberculosis (Homeless People)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homeless people in London who have had health checks last year were found to be suffering from tuberculosis.

John Hutton: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is not held centrally.